Impossible to just pick six banners for Walnut Grove

Parents, grandparents, and very eager children crammed into the museum to learn who the winners are in the Walnut Grove banner project.

More than 220 people attended the Langley Centennial Museum banner reception, in part to see whose banner designs were selected to fly along 88th Avenue, but also to see all the kids receive certificates of appreciation handed out by Township Mayor Jack Froese.

“It was overwhelming. There wasn’t room for people to move around,” said Peter Tulumello, the museum cultural service manager.

“We were really thrilled with the quality of the entries from the schools… and we were just amazed at how many people came out for the reception,” he said.

Earlier this spring, the museum invited all the area elementary schools, inviting kids in Grades 3-5 to submit banner images depicting life in Walnut Grove.

 There were 41 submissions, and originally the project founder Kobi Christian said the five best banners would be picked to hang along the neighbourhood’s main drag.

Partnering with the Langley Advance, the concept grew. Through the newspaper’s website or in person at the museum, people could view each of the pieces of art and then pick a People’s Choice – bringing the number of kids’ banners to be hung to six.

The public response to this People’s Choice was “astonishing” Christian said, reporting close to 750 entries in roughly a two-week window.

The votes came down to within two for the winner of the People’s Choice, and then, Christian said, the selection process for the other winners was even more difficult.

Ultimately, it was decided that a total of eight banners will be made up.

The People’s Choice winner was Angelina Adamson from Gordon Greenwood Elementary with her horse picture.

The other winners were Indie Bateman, Ria Yang, and Alyssa Sharp of Alex Hope Elementary, Tyler George of West Langley Elementary, Danica Zanatta and Ellie Kim of Dorothy Peacock Elementary, and Kamren Kooner of James Kennedy Elementary.

The banners are expected to be ready and hanging sometime in mid to late May, Tulumello said.

“I can’t wait to see these waving in the breeze… I’m loving the fact that it will profile the talent of these young people.”

The success of this project, he said, could be the beginning of something larger. He’s hoping to see similar banner projects like this one hosted for other neighbourhoods in the Township in the near future.

“The engagement of young artists and getting their art out in public spaces, well that’s just something the museum is embracing,” Tulumello said. The museum is currently hosting another student art project, the annual art show by Trinity Western University students called Menagerie, which runs until April 26.