Thursday August 21, 2025 | ESQUIMALT, BC [Posted 10:51 am | Updated 11:53 am]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
New artistic banners will soon line the roadway at Esquimalt Gorge Park.
Starting this week, the new installation of public art by artist Marlene Janice Howell (née Seki) will be in place.
This project results from a public art call earlier this year. Artists were invited to submit designs for a series of street banners for the park.
Banner program:
The initiative was part of the Township’s broader commitment to public art to enhance public spaces, foster community identity, and honour Esquimalt’s diverse cultural heritage, as stated in a news release from the municipality today.
Esquimalt’s street banner revitalization program had a budget of about $50,000 over three years, says Terése Finegan, Acting Director, HR & Community Relations & Manager of Economic Development, Township of Esquimalt.
Banners are updated seasonally. Old nylon banners are being repurposed into reusable shopping bags which will be available for sale in fall 2025 as part of cost recovery, says Finegan.
Honouring the original Japanese Teahouse:
“The Township of Esquimalt has provided an opportunity to acknowledge the Japanese Canadian culture and history through the street banners for Gorge Park where the original Japanese Teahouse first stood,” said Howell.
“Our collaboration on this project has been an unforgettable experience,” the artist said.
“Marlene’s banner designs reflect themes and inspiration from Japanese communities who have shaped the Gorge Park area,” said Mayor Barbara Desjardins. “The art is a nod to the natural beauty of the waterway and celebrates it as a space where family and friends can gather.”
Japanese traditions will be further celebrated at Esquimalt Gorge Park during the upcoming Japanese Cultural Fair on August 23, organized by the Victoria Nikkei Cultural Society. More information at www.vncs.ca
Heritage and landscape:
Esquimalt has a strong mission around public art.
Artists were invited to respond to the theme “Reflecting Our Heritage and Landscape” and explore one or more elements such as:
- The natural beauty and biodiversity of the Gorge Waterway.
- The cultural diversity of Esquimalt’s community.
- The initiative aims to enhance awareness in our community surrounding inclusion, diversity, and equity
- The traditions and contributions of the Lək̓ʷəŋən People, including the Kosapsum Nation and Songhees Nation.
Placemaking and wayfinding:
The heritage-theme banner initiative supports goals outlined in Esquimalt’s 2023–2025 Economic Development Action Plan, particularly in the areas of placemaking, wayfinding, and place branding.
It also reflects the objectives of Esquimalt’s Public Art Plan (issued in 2021) by fostering community identity, celebrating local heritage, and enhancing public spaces through art. The project was funded by the Township of Esquimalt through allocated funds for the revitalization of street pole banners.
Esquimalt budget 2025 showed $122,915 in the public art reserve.
===== RELATED:
Streetlight banner refresh in Esquimalt (December 9, 2024)