British Columbia

Kelowna poetry wall at Metro Community Church shares message of hope

The former Metro Community Church building in Kelowna will soon be torn down to make room for a new hotel, but staff asked residents to share words of hope on the building’s back wall as a farewell.

Residents share words of hope on the building’s back wall as a farewell

"Who we are creatively has a healing component," said Lesley-Anne Evans, creative curator at Metro Community Church. (Lesley-Anne Evans/Metro Community Church)

The former Metro Community Church building in Kelowna will soon be torn down to make room for a new hotel, but staff asked residents to share words of hope on the building's back wall as a farewell to an era.

The building was a safe haven for homeless people in the city and Lesley-Anne Evans, creative curator at the organization, says the wall of poetry is meant to help people heal.

"This wall is an opportunity to have some closure on what it's been and moving forward to the future in a positive way."

She says the wall is a "short-term celebration."

"I think there is something beautiful about celebrating the moment, about being present to what is happening right now and then we just carry that with us.

"Nothing lasts. Let's celebrate now and move on to what will be," said Evans.

"This was an idea about inviting people who are poets and writers in the community to come out and put their words on the wall about hope and belonging," said Lesley-Anne Evans with Metro Community Church. (Lesley-Anne Evans/Metro Community Church)
Metro Community Church hopes the wall will help people cope with losing the building, which was a cornerstone in the neighbourhood. (Alya Ramadan/CBC)
This wall, which is part of the Metro Community Church building, will soon be torn down to make room for a new hotel. (Lesley-Anne Evans/Metro Community Church)
Metro Community Church has hosted many art-related events before, but this will be its last. (Lesley-Anne Evans/Metro Community Church)

With files from Alya Ramadan, CBC Radio's Daybreak South


To listen to the full interview, click the link labelled: Poetry wall in downtown Kelowna shares message of hope.