A piece of local sports and cultural history is soon to be no more in the downtown core.
A mural celebrating Terrace being named as Hockeyville in 2009 is to be covered up as part of a wholesale exterior renovation of the former Source for Sports building on the corner of Kalum and Lakelese.
Painted by local artist Mark Hart, the mural consisting of hockey masks and the logo of Hockeyville sponsor Kraft, went up in mid-2009. It’s been protected over the years by a special coating so that any defacing can be easily removed.
The mural’s location on the former Source for Sports building is no coincidence as former building owner Bob Park was one of the key players in the massive community effort of gathering in enough votes by phone, text and online to have the city declared Hockeyville 2009.
With that designation came $100,000 for renovations to the Sportsplex and a Sept. 14, 2009 exhibition game between the Vancouver Canucks and the New York Islanders.
Park closed his business down earlier this year and the sale to Michael Hogg soon followed. Hogg phoned Hart to tell him what was being planned for the exterior.
“I wanted him to know that despite the fact that the building is ready for some updating and hence the mural is going to be removed, we all appreciate the mural very much as well as the entire Hockeyville experience and what it meant to the community,” said Hogg.
Renovations are to start soon and Hogg said he wanted to let people know in case they want a photo of Hart’s mural.
“I know that folks may have sentimental memories associated with the Hockeyville mural,” he said.
The Source for Space is vacant and Elan Travel is staying on as a tenant.
“I liked the building because of the opportunity it holds. In a nutshell: it has good bones — a solid concrete block structure, on a busy downtown corner, with good parking,” said Hogg of his purchase.
Along with a new paint job there will be new tiling at the entrance of the building and a revamped upper awning. Also to be covered up is the large sports-theme mural on the east facing side of the building.
Hart is known for his custom air-brushed designs. From a foundation of designs on hockey goalie masks, Hart has branched out to apply his art to many other items.