Fraser City Council on a unanimous voice vote approved the city’s acceptance in principle of a donated mural for the restroom wall at Fort Fraser, provided a short memorandum of understanding is drafted and returned to council for final approval.
The mural, proposed and funded by the Fraser First Booster Club and executed by Fraser resident and muralist Krista Camelon, covers the rear wall of the Fort Fraser restroom facing 14 Mile Road and is intended to be interactive for family photos under a “Be The Spark” motif. "We wanted something that would kinda bring some color and spark to Stephens Park," said Vanya Apps, president of Fraser First.
Council and city attorneys discussed the legal and practical expectations for donated public art, including how long the mural would remain, who would control or modify it, and who would handle maintenance and copyright. City Attorney Don Denault suggested a memorandum of understanding to capture those parameters. Fraser First vice president Laura Lesage said the group’s expectation is to donate the mural to the city and to consult with the city on any future changes; the artist has agreed to cover any cost overruns.
Council voted to authorize administration to move forward with Fraser First to finalize project details and to bring a written memorandum of agreement back to council next month for final approval. The city and the booster club agreed the artist could begin preparatory work (sketches and site prep) so work can start in late September or October, with the group aiming to complete the project before winter.
The mural budget provided by Fraser First was $7,500. The artist and Fraser First told council she estimates a roughly 10-year life expectancy for the exterior latex paint given the site’s shading. The city attorney said the memorandum should address ownership (city ownership of the wall and artwork), maintenance responsibilities, artist rights and permissions for city use of images.
Councilors and Fraser First members stressed an intent to “work together hand in hand” and not require an extensive contract; the memorandum is meant to set minimum expectations and avoid future surprise removals or disputes.