Maple Ridge has been beautified by a public art program, and this year’s A-List selection highlighted a unique mural created by the community.
Traceline has been painted on either side of the pedestrian underpass that takes walkers from downtown Haney, at the foot of 224th Street, under the busy traffic of the Haney Bypass, and out to the Fraser River shoreline at Port Haney Wharf.
The sizable mural is about 580 square feet, with two colourful faces on either tunnel entrance, and was created by artists Taryn Hubbard and Aaron Moran, as a project by the city and provincial transportation ministry.
The artists met with members of the community in engagement sessions, where the participants were encouraged to respond to the environment around the tunnel. The colours, shapes, and lines on the murals all originate with those community members. Their sketches, collages, and notes from conversations were collected and used in the final design.
The murals themselves were completed over six days in the summer of 2023.
Other favourite pieces of public art that made the finalists list for the 2025 News’ A-List are the The Beast, the iconic horse clock at city hall, and the Albion Lookout mural by Katzie artist Rain Pierre.
Albion Lookout was finished in May of 2024, to adorn the new Albion Community Centre.
“I feel that the Albion Community Centre was giving a vibe of looking out for one another,” said Pierre in his artist’s statement.
“The feeling I got there was that people were working together and happy to be at a community centre that is welcoming for all walks of life. There was mention that the sun sets can be seen from there. I had to include it to remind people that tomorrow is a new day. The momma bear and cub were brought up as visitors every spring. They are spirit bears that are looking in both directions to remind us to look out for one another. We must look at both the past and the future to grow.”
The Beast was built in 1989 by artist Don R. Brayford, who was a poet, inventor, and electro- mechanical operations manager for the City of Maple Ridge for 22 years. This piece of art, sits atop the clock tower out front of Maple Ridge city hall and the Ridge Meadows RCMP offices. It was constructed using aluminum and recycled materials.