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Coast Salish art added to Riverview

Coast Salish art images are now wrapped on 11 utility boxes at the Riverview Hospital grounds in Coquitlam.
KFN
Fred Hulbert Jr. and Austin Joe created Coast Salish art designs for 11 utility boxes at Riverview Hospital.

Coast Salish art images are now wrapped on 11 utility boxes at the Riverview Hospital grounds in Coquitlam.

The project is between Kwikwetlem First Nation Enterprises LP (KFNE) and BC Housing, which manages the 244-acre site off Lougheed Highway.

KFNE recently placed 25 kilometres of electrical wiring at Riverview — a property the band is currently claiming under a land dispute with the provincial government and Metro Vancouver.

Riverview is known to the First Nations band as Semiqwe?ele, Place of the Great Blue Heron; other Coast Salish artwork is also being added to the grounds.

Created by Fred Hulbert Jr. and Austin Joe during a youth summer work program, the final utility box art designs were chosen by KFN youth.

“We believe that it is important for KFN youth to understand that the projects KFNE is managing and the art being displayed provides a sense of connectivity to the ancestral territory and cultural pride to share the art with the surrounding community,” said Andrea Aleck, KFNE chief officer of special projects in a news release.

Added KFN Chief Ron Giesbrecht, “We’re very proud that some of our projects at the Riverview Lands will include Coast Salish art. We feel strongly that it is important for visitors to the to understand that our ancestors once lived on those lands and how important the site is in our history.”

jcleugh@tricitynews.com