Hello! My name is Lida Lisney, and I have been a business owner in Downtown Oakville for 20 years.

I am raising funds for the painting of a mural on the side of our building at the southwest corner of Church and Reynolds in downtown Oakville. The proposed design can be found in the cover photo of this page.

The mural will serve two purposes:

First, the mural will beautify a prominent corner of our town and uplift residents and visitors alike. As it currently stands, a fenced-off, abandoned construction site now graces the southwest corner of Church and Reynolds. This exposes a 30-metre expanse on the side of my building, which is just begging to be adorned with a beautiful design!

Second, we can put up a design that serves as a reminder of the peace and democracy we are so fortunate to enjoy, while our friends around the world in places like Ukraine continue to struggle. I am a first generation Canadian, daughter to two incredibly strong Ukrainian immigrants who fled similar atrocities in their homeland in the 1940s.

The sunflower design is significant for Ukrainians, as it symbolizes peace and resilience. After the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster in 1986, Ukrainians planted sunflowers in the devastated area. The flowers not only represented renewal and hope, but they helped extract toxins from the soil.

Funds raised will first be used for costs associated with the project, including the muralists time and materials. Funds raised in excess of the mural costs will be donated to a local foundation that is dedicated to supporting Ukrainian refugees in Canada.

We want to prioritize this project for the fall of 2023 in order to maximize exposure and maximize our time to enjoy the mural. It is our understanding that the development project in the adjacent lot will not take full shape for another 4-5 years, meaning that the mural should be fully visible until then.

Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity in helping to beautify Downtown Oakville with a message of hope and peace for the future.

Sincerely,

Lida Lisney