Spring is in the air. People’s spirits are lifting as the sun shines and weather warms. Our snowbirds are returning to the north. So, it is time to start planning spring activities. Knowing that the health of a town’s downtown is often seen as a reflection of the health of that community at large, the Downtown Huntsville Business Improvement Area (BIA) board, staff and members are working to keep our downtown strong and active.
We are calling on your help to make this happen. March is the month to help us paint. Two works of art from famous Canadian artists Tom Thomson and J.E.H. MacDonald (of the Group of Seven) are coming alive in the heart of cottage country. With the assistance of Huntsville’s mural artist, Gerry Lantaigne, the Group of Seven Outdoor Gallery is adding another mural to our collection right now. From Feb. 25 to March 10, there is another Add Your Brush Stroke Community Mural taking place at the Huntsville Place Mall. This will be followed quickly by a second mural at Deerhurst Resort from March 14 to 28.
We hope that lots of Huntsville residents, along with all our visiting tourists, will join us for these free events and help paint our murals. The first mural is a replica of J. E. H. MacDonald’s original Skiing, 1912. The mural at Deerhurst is Tom Thomson’s well-known The West Wind, 1916-1917. These murals will become a part of the Group of Seven Outdoor Gallery, which finds its home in downtown Huntsville and surrounding area. It is not your typical art gallery, but a collection of close to 75 murals replicating the work of Tom Thomson and his Group of Seven friends.
The gallery is run by the Downtown Huntsville Business Improvement Area, who sees it contributing to the beautification of the downtown, being a source of enjoyment for residents and visitors alike.
The Group of Seven Outdoor Gallery can be enjoyed 365 days a year. The Group of Seven, joined by Tom Thomson, can be strongly credited in bringing attention to Canadian wilderness and landscapes, so their works are well suited to the cottage country landscapes of Huntsville and Algonquin Park. Details on the gallery can be found at www.GroupOfSevenOutdoorGallery.ca
Along with our two new murals, the BIA is busy planning for the launch of a new cultural walkabout for downtown Huntsville taking place on April 9.
First Friday will take place the first Friday evening of the month in downtown Huntsville.
Participating businesses, which will vary from month to month, will offer a variety of cultural experiences as you tour downtown Huntsville. On April 9, activities will be found at The Finds, Soul Sistas, Algonquin Theatre, Little Place by the Lights and more. Watch and listen for more information as the date approaches.
Watch for other signs of spring in downtown like new benches, spring clean up, new banners and join us trowel in hand for downtown flower planting day on June 1.