You’re invited to “make your mark” on the city as part of an upcoming street-painting project designed to make the intersection of Ellis Street and Nanaimo Avenue brighter and safer.
It’s part of the City’s new ‘Friendly Streets’ initiative, which involves bringing together members of the community to make our streets vibrant, livable and safe for everyone to move around.
This event will also feature live music by Ari Neufeld, provided by the Downtown Penticton Business Improvement Association, and a BBQ by donation, provided by Elks Lodge (while quantities last). It all takes place on Saturday, June 1, starting at 2:30 p.m. and taking roughly four hours.
“This isn’t just about painting streets. It’s about bringing people together and giving them an opportunity to take ownership of a public space,” says Kristen Dixon, General Manager of Infrastructure. “In addition to the asphalt art, we will be installing planters and using other creative methods to make this busy intersection safer for anyone walking, riding or driving.”
For the painting, the City is working with a team of volunteers led by Robin Robertson and artists from the South Okanagan.
“If you stand at this intersection now, you will see a grey, concrete, urban space, with very few trees. For us, it’s a blank canvas, and an opportunity to add leaves or flowers to an area that is so lacking in greenery,” says Robertson. “We hope the designs add a sense of revival and growth, while reminding everyone about the importance of trees and greenspaces throughout our community.”
“The Downtown Penticton BIA is happy to take part in this great initiative from the City of Penticton,” says Brett Turner, DPBIA Executive Director. “Anytime we can get the community together for a great event and leave behind art for everyone to enjoy is a win for our city.”
In order to safely conduct the street painting project, the City will close the intersection of Ellis Street and Nanaimo Avenue temporarily during the day on Wednesday for infrastructure improvements, as well as Friday, May 31, from 9:15 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., and Saturday, June 1, from 2:30 p.m. until 8 p.m.
The City launched its Friendly Streets campaign last month with help from a group of KVR Middle School students, who painted street murals Jermyn Street outside the school to mark the locations near the crosswalk where vehicles cannot stop.
A recent study found that incorporating art into roadway designs improves visibility and can reduce the rate of car crashes involving pedestrians or cyclists by 50 per cent. It’s also a low-cost and effective strategy to slow vehicles through areas with high pedestrian traffic.
These ongoing projects support the City Council priorities to build a community that is safe and resilient, livable and accessible, and vibrant and connected.
To learn more about the Friendly Streets initiative, visit penticton.ca/friendly-streets.