Save the Biodiversity Mural on Victoria’s Historic 780 Blanshard St Building!
The Issue
Reliance Properties is planning to turn the old Power Commission Building at 780 Blanshard St. into a hotel, incorporating the art deco facade, but not including the Biodiversity mural Victoria has loved since it was created in 1994.
From cave art to urban mosaics, murals have always been part of our history, a voice to tell our story to the future. The building has recently also served as a vital creative hub, housing over 90 local artists via the Vancouver Island Visual Arts Society (VIVAS) who are now being displaced. You can’t simply erase our artistic history.
We, the residents of Victoria, BC, and supporters of local cultural history, are calling for the immediate and permanent preservation of the well loved and iconic 'Biodiversity Mural' . Painted in 1994, this artwork is the public masterpiece of the late artist, RickThomas (1944–2025).
Rick Thomas's roots are woven into the tapestry of Victoria's fine arts and cultural scene. He was an integral part of the 1970s emerging artists community at Open Space Galleries alongside well know Canadian artists including: Pat Martin Bates, Herbert Seibner, Elsa Mayhew, and the Society of Limners. He worked in display at Eaton's, creating iconic corner windows we still talk about eg: ‘Caution Women Working' and ‘Stormfront’, and in 1975 illustrated the first covers of Monday Magazine.
Rick went on to work as a Cartographic Scientific Technical Officer for the BC Government's Wildlife and Fisheries Branch, traveling and mapping the biological and ecological systems of our province. During that time, he created the renowned ‘Wildeyes' poster, still being used globally in educational institutions, and locally as fundraising support for BC wildlife programs.
The ‘Biodiversity Mural' represents the structural sister piece to Wildeyes. He poured his passion for the West Coast wilderness straight into this brick canvas for all of us.
Including this mural into the proposed hotel development creates a welcome to tourists. A memorable first impression of Victoria that celebrates our natural beauty and biodiversity. It gives visitors a sense of place, invites curiosity, and shares a message about protecting the environment in this era of climate change.
Our requests to Victoria City Council and Reliance Properties:
1. Mandate a Heritage Assessment that specifically evaluates the mural as an item of significant local cultural value, tying it to Rick Thomas's historic contributions to Victoria's fine art, and environmental history.
2. Integrate the mural into future site use by utilising a Delegated Heritage Alteration Permit to protect the artwork amidst any surrounding structural changes.
Save our Mural!
Please sign and share this petition to ensure Victoria protects its history.
photo credit: Dennis Demarchi
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The Issue
Reliance Properties is planning to turn the old Power Commission Building at 780 Blanshard St. into a hotel, incorporating the art deco facade, but not including the Biodiversity mural Victoria has loved since it was created in 1994.
From cave art to urban mosaics, murals have always been part of our history, a voice to tell our story to the future. The building has recently also served as a vital creative hub, housing over 90 local artists via the Vancouver Island Visual Arts Society (VIVAS) who are now being displaced. You can’t simply erase our artistic history.
We, the residents of Victoria, BC, and supporters of local cultural history, are calling for the immediate and permanent preservation of the well loved and iconic 'Biodiversity Mural' . Painted in 1994, this artwork is the public masterpiece of the late artist, RickThomas (1944–2025).
Rick Thomas's roots are woven into the tapestry of Victoria's fine arts and cultural scene. He was an integral part of the 1970s emerging artists community at Open Space Galleries alongside well know Canadian artists including: Pat Martin Bates, Herbert Seibner, Elsa Mayhew, and the Society of Limners. He worked in display at Eaton's, creating iconic corner windows we still talk about eg: ‘Caution Women Working' and ‘Stormfront’, and in 1975 illustrated the first covers of Monday Magazine.
Rick went on to work as a Cartographic Scientific Technical Officer for the BC Government's Wildlife and Fisheries Branch, traveling and mapping the biological and ecological systems of our province. During that time, he created the renowned ‘Wildeyes' poster, still being used globally in educational institutions, and locally as fundraising support for BC wildlife programs.
The ‘Biodiversity Mural' represents the structural sister piece to Wildeyes. He poured his passion for the West Coast wilderness straight into this brick canvas for all of us.
Including this mural into the proposed hotel development creates a welcome to tourists. A memorable first impression of Victoria that celebrates our natural beauty and biodiversity. It gives visitors a sense of place, invites curiosity, and shares a message about protecting the environment in this era of climate change.
Our requests to Victoria City Council and Reliance Properties:
1. Mandate a Heritage Assessment that specifically evaluates the mural as an item of significant local cultural value, tying it to Rick Thomas's historic contributions to Victoria's fine art, and environmental history.
2. Integrate the mural into future site use by utilising a Delegated Heritage Alteration Permit to protect the artwork amidst any surrounding structural changes.
Save our Mural!
Please sign and share this petition to ensure Victoria protects its history.
photo credit: Dennis Demarchi
Petition Updates
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Petition created on October 16, 2026