Chemainus sits about 80 kilometres south of Nanaimo on the eastern side of Vancouver Island, roughly a fifty-five-minute drive down the Island Highway. It is a small town — a few thousand residents, a compact downtown of a few blocks — that has become one of the most visited communities on the island entirely on the strength of an idea that took hold in the early 1980s when the town's economic reason for existing was about to disappear.
The Origin of the Murals
The MacMillan Bloedel sawmill, which had sustained Chemainus for much of the twentieth century, closed in 1983. The news hit hard in a community where most employment was directly or indirectly tied to the mill. Karl Schutz, a local business owner with a background in cultural development, proposed an unconventional response: commission large-format outdoor murals depicting the region's history, turn the town itself into an open-air gallery, and draw visitors who would spend money in local shops and restaurants. The first five murals were painted in 1982 and 1983. The immediate effect on visitor numbers was significant enough to continue.
What followed was one of the more studied examples of cultural regeneration in small-town Canada. New murals were added every few years. Artists from across North America were commissioned. The subjects expanded from local history to include First Nations cultural traditions, the Chinese and South Asian workers who built the railway through the interior, the logging camps and their equipment, the fishing industry, and the ordinary social life of the Chemainus Valley. Today more than forty large-format paintings cover exterior walls throughout the downtown, each one accompanied by a small identifying sign with the title, the artist's name, and a note on the historical subject depicted.
Walking the Murals
The murals are concentrated in a compact area of perhaps eight city blocks, and a complete self-guided walk at an easy pace takes between ninety minutes and two hours. A printed walking map is available at the visitor centre and at most downtown businesses. A numbered audio tour is also available through a smartphone app that allows you to hear commentary at each site. The murals vary considerably in style — some are photorealistic and monumental, others are more expressionistic — and the variety keeps the walk from becoming repetitive. Some of the most powerful pieces are the largest ones, painted on the full exterior gable walls of commercial buildings and visible from a block away.
Downtown Chemainus has grown around the mural project over the decades. Galleries selling original art and prints, antique and collectible shops, tea rooms, and casual restaurants now fill the storefronts that might otherwise have closed when the mill left. The Chemainus Theatre Festival operates a professional live theatre program in the purpose-built Chemainus Theatre, running productions most months of the year and drawing audiences from across the island.
Beyond the Murals
Chemainus Harbour has a small marina, and the BC Ferries service to Thetis Island and Penelakut Island (formerly Kuper Island) departs from the Chemainus ferry terminal at the bottom of the hill. Thetis Island is a quiet residential and recreational island; Penelakut is home to the Penelakut Tribe. The ferry crossing takes about twenty minutes. Adding the island ferry to a Chemainus visit is possible within a day trip, though it requires checking the sailing schedule carefully.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the mural walk take?
At a comfortable pace with time to read the informational signs at each mural, plan on ninety minutes to two hours for the main route. If you include stops at galleries or for coffee, the morning fills easily. The walking is entirely on flat or gently sloping streets with good sidewalks.
Is there parking in Chemainus?
Yes. Several free municipal parking lots are located within a short walk of the mural district. The main lot near the visitor centre is the most convenient starting point. Street parking is also available on the surrounding blocks. On busy summer weekends the lots fill up by mid-morning, so an early arrival is advisable.
Where can I get food in Chemainus?
Several cafes and restaurants along the main street serve lunch throughout the week. The town is small enough that the options are limited to perhaps a dozen establishments, but the quality is generally reliable. Tea rooms are a local specialty. Most places open by mid-morning and serve until mid-afternoon, making a late morning arrival and lunch stop the natural rhythm for a Chemainus day trip from Nanaimo.