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Chemainus
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This is a Vancouver Island town, proud of its heritage and proud of its people. That can be traced all the way back to the name of the town itself. The name is derived from the name of a man called “Broken Chest”, who after surviving an injury, became a powerful leader, shaman and prophet.
Today, Chemainus is known throughout the world for their murals. The murals were a project undertaken by the entire town in the early 1980s after the struggling sawmill was threatening to bring down the entire area and all of its residents.
With a redevelopment grant, the town decided to bring in artists and have them literally use the entire town, its surroundings and its buildings as a canvas.
Twenty years later, there are 38 murals and 12 sculptures. It is called the largest outdoor art gallery in the world and the number of pieces continues to be expanded upon each and every year. They can be viewed by Horse-Drawn carriage or with a guided walking tour.
These art pieces pay homage to the history of the area, the people who lived there and the town itself. Not only did the murals bring in tourists to the fledgling town, it also attracted more artists and culture to the area.
On our home page I promised an outdoor art gallery and here it is. Four minutes and six seconds about Chemainus, especially the fabulous wall murals. This video is a personal one with lovely piano music so turn up the sound--->
There is also now a busy theatre with many different performances and the town is home to various artists, galleries, gift shops and antique shops. Shops have sprung up showcasing such artistic talents as glass blowing, sculpting, pottery and much more.
There are several parks throughout the city providing places to sit back and enjoy the scenery. There is also a swimming beach (It's on the waters edge of the Stuart Channel) and a challenging golf course.
While many towns on Vancouver Island are undergoing major changes and economic development, Chemainus takes pride in remaining small, homegrown and relaxed.
Located on the eastern side of the island, and even with so many tourists now flocking to see the murals, the town still remains an amazingly tranquil place for a getaway, be it romantic, personal or with family.
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A very interesting trip is by short ferry across to Kuyper and Thetis Island. It runs in sort of a triangle to take in the three spots. Thetis has an interesting small winery which uses local blueberies grown on Kuyper. Telegraph Cove is a very nice docking area with a cafe that has ships pennants from hundreds of different yachting clubs.
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