We love a good urban mural for everything it brings to the community. It’s a beautiful surprise of color and design amidst a normally dull landscape. (Seeing an unexpected mural always makes me smile!) It’s a canvas for one or more artists, whether they grew up locally or are recent transplants, just coming to appreciate the area’s unique beauty.
But most importantly, a mural tells a story about where the community has been, where it’s going, or both. In the case of the mural at Hill’s Market, it’s a story of this North Durham neighborhood’s community revitalization efforts from the past few years.
Already a site of Reinvestment Partners’ local commercial and residential rehab, it’s now also a healthy food corridor. Just a block away is Bull City Cool, our fresh produce food hub. Across the street, an urban garden that’s exploded with plants, volunteers, and possibilities due to the meticulous care of non-profit Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. And at Hills’ Market convenience store, fresh fruits and veggies are now sold. What a turn-around for this neighborhood, which was plagued by vacant properties, violence, and drugs just a few years ago!
This vibrant mural by artist Patrick Phelps-McKeown of Durham is a great reminder that “The First Wealth is Health,” and an effort that punctuates our community’s recent healthy lifestyle initiatives. Take a drive by if you can! It’s at the intersection of East Geer and North Roxboro in Durham.