Putting the Countdown pebbles in place

By Kristena Schutt-Moore

The community came together on Friday, Aug. 13 to help Maggie's Resource Centre and Red Dress Productions create the Countdown Mosaic in Millennium Park.

The mosaic, which was designed by Anna Camilleri, was divided into sections, and each section was turned into a form.

Those who came to help build the mosaic placed the assigned pebbles in the shape of the design in the form and then packed it with fine sand to keep the pebbles in place. The forms are then taken by the Red Dress Team, filled with fast setting concrete and when it is dry, flipped over and the sand wahed away to reveal the design.

The mosaic pieces will be put together in a final layer of concrete to complete the image. The finished pebble mosaic will be on display beside the Millennium Park Band Shell where the park's trail system meets the Hastings Street sidewalk so that all who pass by can see it.

The Bancroft mural is the ninth mural in Red Dress Production's Countdown Pebble Mosaic Project, which was designed to honour those who have survived gender and/or sexual based violence and to countdown to a time where there is no such violence.
The mural in Bancroft will roughly be six foot in diameter and feature the York River, the Eagles Nest, trees, a soaring eagle and a turtle swimming into a sunset.

The work of art will be unveiled on Friday, Sept. 24 at 6:30 p.m. during a community ceremony.
As COVID-19 protocols change, announcements will be made closer to the date on how people can attend and participate in the event.