Young aspiring artist Elysee Franchuk is looking to inspire youth and create a memorable masterpiece at the Mach 1 Skatepark, with the help of seasoned artist Jim Belliveau.
The canvas is Cold Lake's skatepark and, on Tuesday, Oct. 11, city council heard the passion of an artist and his idea to bring an artistic presence to what they describe as an open door of possibilities.
Working together, Franchuk and Belliveau would create a design that would help prevent the skatepark from being defaced, and showcase what the Lakeland has to offer through a mural, which would be painted on the surface of the skatepark.
“We want something that will not only deter the graffiti artists, but also give them the impression that they are standing on hallowed ground, and that anything that they are going to be doing is pure defacement,” said Belliveau.
The idea first came to Belliveau after hearing that the city was looking for ideas to embellish the park.
“It was an inevitable thing,” he said. “I went and looked at it, and I thought, there has to be so much more.”
Franchuk will work alongside with Belliveau in the designing of the mural, should the plan go forward.
The pair is hoping to create a youthful piece that resonates with not just the users of the park, but also the residents of Cold Lake.
“We want to create a piece of artwork that is a mic drop for the community. This is something that is going to look complete and natural, and that is was an inevitable thing that rose out of the concrete,” Belliveau described. “We want to create something that reflects well on the community.”
The scale of the project, and the amount of detail would determine how long it would take to paint and complete the project. For now, Belliveau and Franchuk are simply pitching the design and concept to council, which is the first part of the two-part project.
The cost to consider for the design and paint plan is approximately $2,400 and would involve further discussion, meeting with the community, and coming up with a budget for the entirety of the project.
The biggest expense is the paint, which can cost anywhere from $100 to $600 per gallon, and the top protection coat, which Belliveau said can cost $1,000 to $2,000 per gallon.
In order to keep expenses down, council could consider leaving certain areas monochromatic.
Belliveau said they are hoping, should council approve the project, to have the first part completed by the end of December or beginning of January. The final approval of the art plan would take place January or February, followed by the preparation of the skate park in April, with painting starting in May.
One of the options proposed is to have Franchuk complete the core work, with rotational artwork created by the community, which could be changed every few years.
The proposal will be brought before council at their next meeting on Oct. 18 for discussion.
