New Capitol Centre mural is Vic Fedeli on horseback pointing at Gateway Arch

From: Philip St. George, thenorthbaybay.ca staff

NORTH BAY — Those travelling down McIntyre St. this week are in for a giant surprise.

Following careful deliberation, the Capitol Centre decided on a “perfect representation of the city” to place on the side of its theatre: a nearly 40 foot tall painting of Vic Fedeli mounted on a horse and pointing at North Bay’s famous Gateway Arch.

Melinda Hayley, Director of the Board for the Capitol Centre, says that choosing what to paint wasn’t easy.

“We spent weeks as a board trying to find what we felt would embody the City of North Bay,” says Hayley. “There were the usual proposals: the carousel; the waterfront; the city as seen from Airport; a swarm of shadflies.”

“Then there were some more unconventional suggestions: an exploding Bomarc missile; the Chief Commanda jumping the government dock; the Chief Commanda jumping a pile of abandoned fishing nets; the giant paper mâché bear from King Putt eating a man from Sudbury.”

“Ultimately though, painting former Mayor and current MPP Victor Fedeli astride a white horse while heroically leading North Bay all done in a neoclassical style made the most sense.”

“It just clicked with us on every level.”

Cost $10 000

Hayley says the 1000 square foot mural took two full days to paint and cost approximately $10 000.

“But thanks to a very generous anonymous donation from a ‘Mr. and Mrs. F,’ it didn’t cost the Capitol Centre a cent.”

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