Ashton Faulkner/Rocky View Publishing

Last year's mural featured the "Summer Splash" theme. The new mural, which will have a "Magical Imagine" theme, will be painted at the library on July 6.

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Local kids to create library mural

For the third year in a row, the participants of the Summer Reading Program at the Airdrie Public Library (APL) will be coming together to work on a special project.

The kids will have a hand in painting a five-by-nine foot mural that, when finished, will hang in the children’s area of the library for the next year. The mural will be painted on “Fun Friday,” July 6.

Veronica Funk, the library’s art program coordinator, said the new mural will feature a picture of a castle with a moat to celebrate this year’s theme, which is “imagine.” Funk has already drawn the outline, but it will be up the kids to get creative and paint it.

“They get so excited and they really have a good time painting,” she said. “Kids love art and being able to contribute to something. It’s a wonderful project and it gives the kids a chance to be proud of what they’ve worked on.”

Funk said 96 kids participated in putting together last year’s mural, which will come down off the wall and be replaced with the new one. A second mural, also with a castle theme, will be painted on the wall in the library’s program room.

Funk said she likes doing art with kids not only because she can see their excitement, but also because she is impressed by their creativity.

“I wish (adults) could be so carefree,” she said. “These kids don’t even think about it, they’re just excited to try it, it’s inspiring to watch them, and the art they create is wonderful.”

Funk has also done work with Creative Airdrie, and said that these types of projects really bring the community together to make something beautiful.

To be able to participate in the painting of the mural, kids must be registered for the TD Summer Reading Club, which is a free program designed to help keep kids engaged in reading throughout the summer months. Everyone who registers will receive a free poster and activity book from the library and can participate in different reading activities to earn prizes. Participants can register for one week, multiple weeks or for the entire summer.

Registration for the program begins on June 20. An APL membership is required to register.

For more information, visit www.airdriepubliclibrary.ca