The Road to Valour mural commemorates Leo Clarke, Frederick William Hall and Robert Shankland, war heroes who all lived on Pine Street, later renamed Valour Road.
Winnipeg Sun - News - 26th June 2009 - by SUN MEDIA - Best mural honours Valour Road heroes:
A deserving tribute to the heroes of Valour Road was recognized yesterday. Road to Valour, put together by artist Charlie Johnston, was selected as the best mural of 2008 in Winnipeg by 33 judges in a concert organized by the Murals of Winnipeg website. Johnston feels the mural, found on the north side of the Hallmart Building at the corner of Valour Road and Ellice Avenue, provides an inspirational story. "Imagine if you will, just like any of us, three young men going about their life, suddenly rising up to the call and going to a far-off land and making the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good," the 46-year-old said. "So I looked at it from that perspective. "These men were real people." The work tells the tale of three young men --Clarke, Frederick William Hall, and Robert Shankland --leaving their homes on Pine Street (which is now Valour), experiencing the hardships of the First World War, only to find glory with the Victoria Cross medals and respect through the red poppies. Road to Valour took Johnston a few months to paint. He said one of the interesting aspects to its construction was the discovery of a hidden surface on the wall. Old stucco. It helped recreate the old black and white picture feel of some of the images -- adding to the history of the piece. "When we all come to work on the wall, there was wood panelling," he said. "My sons, who are probably nearly as young as these men, helped me remove the old panelling off the wall to reveal the old stucco. That was part of the beauty of it -- finding that stucco and using it to create the real look of the mural. "It made it kind of special." The Murals of Winnipeg website can be found at: themuralsof winnipeg.com
