Karen Graham
At this week’s Council meeting, Lenka Petric of the Cavan Monaghan Barn Quilt Trail Project presented an overview of the status of this impressive community project. With a current target of 30 barn quilts on the table, Petric outlined the vision of the group, which includes a wide range of members with a wide variety of skills, including artists, quilters, farmers, historians, gardeners, business and community leaders.
Committee members for the project: front row, L to R: Celia Hunter, Bonnie McQuarrie, Lenka Petric, 2nd row: Glen Spurrell, Elaine Young, Carolyn Brackenridge, Jeanne Moran, Lance Nachoff, Susan Rice, Peggy Crosby, Kate De Klerck and Bruce Gazley. Photo: Karen Graham
Considered by some to be the largest grass-roots public art movement, a Barn Quilt trail consists of the installation of a series of large square wooden blocks painted with traditional quilt patterns or custom designs to reflect a theme along a specific route. It is designed to be enjoyed as a trail, for cyclists, drivers and in some places, walkers. The trail envisioned by the local group will have installations on local barns, public buildings and parks, private homes and businesses connecting the local hamlets of Bailieboro, South Monaghan, Fraserville, Cavan, Ida, Mount Pleasant, Springville, Five Mile Turn and the Village of Millbrook. They hope to design a series of images that accent local history and tell the story of our community, its people and its aspirations. They have engaged the help of Crestwood High school students to help in the design of their social media outlets, and have established committees to address a wide array of tasks including block design, site selection, painting, carpentry and installation, finance and fundraising, to name a few.
The actual construction and installation costs of the project are expected to reach over $16,000, or $525 per block. Additional funds will be required for marketing and promotion.
There are 14 established trails already operating in five Canadian provinces including Ontario, as well as in 48 states south of the border. A study conducted on the impact of the original trail, launched in Ohio, reported a number of benefits to the host community. It enjoyed economic benefits stemming from increased tourist activity, the strengthening of community networks and partnerships, and an increase in community pride through the recognition of local history, culture and achievements.
The Cavan Monaghan group intends to focus the block content the story of our area: our history, our agricultural heritage, the natural beauty of the area, and the skills and creativity of our residents. Through a network of volunteers, the project will engage residents from every demographic in the community who will be working together to build a tangible and long lasting trail to showcase who we are.
They hope to have the first few blocks completed and installed this spring, with more blocks popping up until the project completion in the spring of 2017. While the current target is 30 blocks, the number is not limited to 30. The number of blocks in the closest trail in Prince Edward County has now reached 120. The success of the project will be determined by the energy and will of the community. The group is currently recruiting volunteers to get the project moving. Volunteers for all of our sub-committees are welcome, all and skill levels can help. Some of the committees include: Quilt Block Design, Painting, Site Selection, Carpentry and Installation, Fundraising, Website and Social Media, Promotion, School and youth liaison. The biggest need at the moment is in the Painting sub-committee and Carpentry/Installation sub-committee, and leadership skills will help these committees meet their goals.
The painting committee is seeking volunteers with planning skills to help them organize painting workdays, selecting and booking venues, procuring supplies, and ultimately painting the quilt blocks. The Carpentry/Installation committee will be primarily responsible for installing the quilt blocks on barns/buildings or on posts, ensuring that equipment required for installation is available and that proper installation procedures are followed. For more information or to volunteer, contact Lenka Petric at 705-944-5996 or through email at macpet@nexicom.net.
