Vancouver, Canada Wyland Whaling Wall 56

History of the Vancouver, Canada Wyland Whaling Wall 56

-Vancouver Island Orcas

Whaling wall 56

The Old Continental Hotel in downtown Vancouver was the backdrop for Wyland’s magnificent mural, “Vancouver Island Orcas”. This gorgeous artwork captured the grandeur of swimming orcas just off the coast of Vancouver Island, which also happens to be a critical habitat. Dr. John Ford, a leading orca researcher, dedicated the mural in front of a crowd of hundreds of people from the area in August of 1994. It was at this point in conservation history that expansion of shipping routes and various oil pipeline project proposals caused tensions to rise in the region. Vancouver in particular found balancing economic growth with conservation to be challenging, as it served as an international hub for shipping.

Although the mural was eventually removed to make way for redevelopment, it was widely considered iconic during the period it was displayed. It even became a signature feature of the 2010 Winter Olympics, featuring the Olympics logo, hand painted for the occasion by Wyland, and welcomed foreign visitors across the Granville Bridge on their way to the Olympics venues. Whether through the Wyland Foundation’s participation in various initiatives for the Olympics, or simply engaging people about taking better care of our oceans, art is one of the key planks of its outreach efforts. Educating the public about the impact our actions on land can have on the health of our oceans is always guiding the foundation’s work. That message was at the heart of “Vancouver Island Orcas”. Through various classroom activities and park projects, the Wyland Foundation seeks to build an understanding of how upstream activities cause lasting impacts on downstream habitats.

Did You Know?

Over 200 resident orcas call Vancouver Island home. These coastal waters are the ideal habitat for the orca’s primary food source, salmon. The Salish Sea, part of the waters off of Vancouver Island, is one of the most impressive inland seas in the world and supports over 3,000 species of marine life in its biologically rich waters.

It was Wyland’s hope, and the hope of his team, that a mural in the middle of downtown Vancouver could remind its residents that they are closely connected to the marine ecosystems surrounding their beloved city, and that these habitats deserve protection. We thank the millions of people who experienced this beautiful artwork and were given pause to consider how they could play a bigger part in the future of our oceans and waterways.

Old Continental Hotel, Canada
1290 Granville
Vancouver, BC, Canada
80 Feet Long x 90 Feet High
Dedicated August 15th, 1994
By Dr. John Ford

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