Provincial Grant Moves “Word of Mouth” Public Art Project Toward Completion

A unique public art installation designed to preserve and share Chestermere’s history has received a provincial funding boost to carry it across the finish line.
The Chestermere Historical Foundation has been awarded $42,643 through the Alberta government’s Community Initiatives Program, funding announced Feb. 13 by Chestermere-Strathmore MLA Chantelle de Jonge. The grant will support the final phase of the foundation’s long-running “Word of Mouth” project, including the creation of a community time capsule.
First launched in 2018, the installation brings together physical pieces of the community’s past and an interactive design meant to reflect how local history has been shared across generations.
“We have a plaque from the summer village and a plaque from the town, both brass, that we’re putting replicas of on a concrete base, along with bricks from the original town hall,” said foundation president Jen Peddlesden.
The project also features two spun-aluminum horns that will create sound as wind passes through them. Visitors will be able to speak into the horns and hear one another across the installation, symbolizing the oral tradition of storytelling.
“That’s why we’re calling it Word of Mouth, because people tell history by telling each other from person to person,” Peddlesden said. “That’s a way it has been done for generations.”
The newly announced funding will help complete the sculpture and purchase a water-resistant container and tubing for the time capsule component.
Residents will be invited to submit written reflections, memories and hopes for the future of the city. The capsule is intended to be opened in 50 years, offering a snapshot of daily life, community priorities and local voices in this moment of Chestermere’s growth.
“It will be a slice of Chestermere life that people can look at and say, at this date, this is what was happening,” Peddlesden said. “These are the words of the people who were living here. These are their dreams and aspirations.”
Work on the project is already well underway. The concrete base has been completed, while planning continues for the installation of the horns, plaques and time capsule.
In a statement, the foundation said it was pleased to receive the provincial support and thanked local organizations and community partners who provided letters backing the funding application.
When finished, the installation will serve as both a historical marker and a gathering place — a physical reminder that the story of Chestermere continues to be shaped by the voices of the people who call it home.