Former Walmart becomes one of Canada’s largest murals

TORONTO -

A former Toronto Walmart is turning into one of Canada’s largest mural projects.

The retail giant recently closed the doors of their Edgeley Boulevard location in Vaughan, Ont. Instead of leaving the property vacant, SmartCentres, along with an alliance of artists, created an expansive series of murals.

Murals paint a former Walmart at 101 Edgeley Blvd, Vaughan on June 25, 2021. (Corey Baird)

In total, four works of art cover each side of the building, spanning 30,000 square feet.

“We’re converting a Walmart into a giant piece of art,” said Arman Afkhami, director of sales and strategy at LDNMRK, an art agency. For the next three years, the murals will become a fixture in the neighbourhood.

“I think the community is feeling our intention,” said Toronto-based artist, birdO. His work primarily captures animals, which is why he painted a massive kingfisher bird with a long beak that wraps around the building.

Murals paint a former Walmart at 101 Edgeley Blvd, Vaughan on June 25, 2021. (Corey Baird)

One of the artists involved in the project, Ricardo Cavalo, is based in Spain. He hasn’t been on site due to pandemic travel restrictions, but managed to create the front façade by directing the team virtually from Barcelona.