A new mural-in-progress on the corner of King Street and South Winooski Avenue will include themes of housing, community and hope for people recovering from addiction. Turning Point Center of Chittenden County recently purchased the building from the Champlain Housing Trust.
The Turning Point Center provides a space and support for substance abuse recovery groups to meet and hold activities. According to its executive director, Gary De Carolis, the center officially purchased the building at 179 South Winooski Ave. on Tuesday. The center has occupied the space since December, after spending four months renovating the office building into larger spaces suitable for groups. It’s roughly 60 percent bigger than the center’s previous home on Bank Street.
The building is also home to Black Lives Matter of Greater Burlington, Migrant Justice, the Vermont Workers’ Center and 350Vermont, whose signs were targeted by a white supremacist group this week.
The mural celebrates the Turning Point Center and the housing trust’s shared missions and the housing trust’s 35th anniversary. It was important to both organizations that the new mural include housing-related imagery, De Carolis said.
“Housing, work and dealing with trauma are the three biggest issues people face moving into recovery,” he said.
The mural will also feature butterflies, to symbolize transformation, and hand-holding and community activities to show that “recovery is not a lonely pursuit,” De Carolis noted.
Staff and visitors at the center voted on four submitted mural proposals. The winner was Tara Goreau. She has painted several well-known murals around Burlington and Vermont, including at City Market/Onion River Co-op’s downtown and South End stores, and the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf.
De Carolis said the mural should take about a month to complete. On August 16, the center will hold a volunteer day for people who want to contribute to the artwork. Those interested can find more information on Facebook.
Correction August 1, 2019: An earlier version of this story misstated the name of the Champlain Housing Trust.
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That looks amazing
Did they run the idea behind that idiot bitching about the Church St mural first?
It’s not an “idiot” but an anti-racist. If you don’t know the difference then start reading and doing less posting. Or relocate yourself to a Trump state
Nope, he’s an idiot. Sure did use his “privilege” to avoid paying for his felony though, didn’t he?
What good is the mural advertising for housing? Champlain housing trust discriminates against people with a felony as well as Burlington housing authority and cathedral square! But they say nothing about that!
No, Albert, the guy is just a whiny idiot.
I hope that Albert is included in this mural otherwise it is looking like discrimination.
I haven’t seen it yet, I know it is in progress, but someone will find something to be offended about.