Walter Volovsek’s exhibit on the life of Edward Mahon, the founding father of Castlegar, will open at the Castlegar and District Public Library on Monday, August 20. There will be a formal opening event on Sunday, August 19, from 7 to 9 p.m., which will be attended by Marolyn Mahon, Edward’s daughter-in-law.
The Life and Legacy of Edward Mahon exhibit was funded in part by a grant from the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance / Castlegar Arts Council, and supporting grants from the Library and the City of Castlegar. The display consists of ten storyboards, most of which include photographic enlargements produced by Volovsek from original negatives, some a century old. As space limitations prevent the presentation of all ten panels at once, the display will be rotated on September 24. The exhibit will close on October 29. A related version will be presented at the North Vancouver Museum for a six month run, starting next January.
The opening event will also be an opportunity to present two books that have been completed by Volovsek. The Green Necklace: the Vision Quest of Edward Mahon complements the exhibit. It deals in detail with Edward’s failed plans for Castlegar, and his success in leaving an admirable legacy to the citizens of North Vancouver. The second work, Trails in Time: Reflections, deals with the author’s efforts to develop interpretive trails in the Castlegar vicinity.