Jan 31st, 2024

News Release: Mural Funded by OCH Community Improvement Grant Brings Residents Together Post-Pandemic 

January 31, 2024 – Sometimes, a splash of colour can bring a community together.   

The Tranquility Mural, a project driven by tenants for tenants, was completed with a grant from OCH’s Community Capital Fund.    

Fourteen tenants led the project and completed the painting over four days of six-hour sessions. Many residents also stopped by to check the progress as the work was finished. The objective of the project was to unite the community after the pandemic and foster relationships among the residents.   

This mural is one of many collaborations with Claudia Salguero, a Colombian Canadian professional multidisciplinary artist and community-engaged artist working with multicultural groups in at-risk communities. Working in collaboration with different social institutions, she has created 77 community murals in the city since 2014.      

There are more than 30 murals in OCH communities across the city. Ottawa Community Housing is committed to nurturing healthy, safe and inclusive communities. Murals across OCH showcase communities and represent their spirit through art. Through the murals, OCH engages tenants in meaningful conversations about their community and beautifies the urban landscape.    

Quick facts 

• OCH provided $4,600 in funding for the project. It was one of over 50 projects that received grants from the Community Capital Fund in 2023. 
• 193 residents in the building 
• 152 seniors living alone 
• $1682.00 average income per month 

Quotes 

“The Tranquility Mural is the colourful evidence of the power of the community working together. This sunset representing the peace and the wonders that the Ottawa River gives us every day, was painted with love and gratitude by the tenants of 31 McEwen.” 

Claudia Salguero, artist

“We are proud of the ongoing partnership with Claudia and other artists who support mural projects in our neighbrouhoods. Murals bring residents together and are a chance to showcase the unique and diverse characteristics of OCH communities. Murals create a strong sense of belonging and ownership in our neighbourhoods.” 

Stéphane Giguère, Chief Executive Officer, OCH

“Community connections are key in older adult communities like McEwen Terrace. This project brought residents together post-pandemic. Community improvements such as this create spaces that tenants are proud to call home.” 

Theresa Kavanagh, Bay Ward Councillor and OCH Board Chair  

About OCH 

Ottawa Community Housing offers approximately 15,000 homes to about 32,000 tenants, including seniors, families, individuals, and people with disabilities. These homes are in various communities throughout Ottawa and house a diverse population with different languages, cultures, and ethnicities. OCH is Ottawa’s primary community housing provider, managing two-thirds of the city’s housing portfolio and ranking as the second largest in Ontario. In 2023, OCH earned recognition for the sixth consecutive year as one of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers.