Community Fence

The Community Fence was a vibrant, collaborative art project that brought people together—one board at a time. Installed around the Bean Café in 2010, the fence became a unique piece of local folk art, reflecting the voices, stories, and creativity of the Nechako community.

What made the project special was not just the finished artwork, but the process itself. Each fence board was created by a different group, weaving together many perspectives into a shared, physical space. Contributors included:

• Carvers from Saik’uz First Nation
• Youth from the Neighbourhood Space Centre
• Children from local daycare programs
• Participants from the Crazy Little Preschool and Strong Start program
• Students from Northside Christian School
• Art classes and the Special Needs class at Nechako Valley Secondary School (NVSS)
• Spring Break recreation participants
• Local artists from across the community

The project was open and evolving. Community members could drop by the Neighbourhood Space to pick up a board and take part, or join weekly “Good Fences Work Bees" sessions, where tools and shared support made it easy for anyone to contribute. First Nations carvers were also actively involved, bringing their skill and cultural knowledge into the project.

Together, these contributions transformed a simple fence into something more meaningful—a visual expression of connection, creativity, and shared belonging.

You can see many of the boards in the gallery below: