Thanks to a donation of paint by Otter Co-op, the Royal Canadian Legion Aldergrove branch is sprucing up its exterior, covering up faded green paint with a more appropriate hue, as branch president Doug Hadley explained.
“That awful green colour is going to be blue, which is the Legion colour,” Hadley told the Langley Advance Times.
When the building at at 26607 Fraser Highway was constructed in 1963, it was white with brown trim, which was changed to green early in the 1990’s.
“I don’t know why [it was painted green],” Hadley remarked.
“It was before my time.”
The historic painting on the exterior wall that faces Fraser Highway won’t be painted over, Hadley promised.
“We’re not touching the mural.”
Listed on the Heritage B.C. website, the mural depicts scenes from the Second World War as a memorial tribute to those who gave their lives for their country during wartime.
READ ALSO: Aldergrove legion looking for renters to utilize empty hall
Work on the exterior got underway earlier this month, with paint supplied by Otter Co-op through their beautification program, what Hadley described as a “very generous” donation.
Painting is being carried out by Larry Hargrove of Old Larry Painting, who is donating a large amount of his labour to the project, Hadley said.
If all goes well, the work should be completed by early September, Hadley estimated.
In May, Otter Co-op announced three locations in Aldergrove had been selected for the annual Communities in Full Colour program; the Legion, North Otter Elementary, and Bradner Hall.
Sean Weatherly, marketing specialist for Otter Co-op, said the decision process was based on ensuring Otter could make the biggest community impact in projects that are local to the areas in which Aldergrove residents live, work, play and do business.
“The goal of the program is to brighten up our communities by donating Co-op Imagine Paint, our in-house brand, to community projects and initiatives in our local area,” Weatherly said. “We had an application process that lasted until the end of April.”
READ ALSO: Otter Co-op donating paint to spruce up three Aldergrove sites this summer
Kyle Featherstone, principal of North Otter Elementary, said the school would use the grant to freshen up the outdoor space in attempts to provide a stimulating and safe learning environment for students.
“We plan to paint our picnic tables that are used for outdoor learning and repurpose some tires into bright and colourful planters,” Featherstone explained. “These additions to our outdoor space provide our students with additional opportunities in which to grow and learn.”
Bradner Hall was planning to repaint the exterior.
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