Scott Hayes | [email protected]
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The West Central Airshed Society (WCAS) has a way of catching more eyes to its new air quality monitoring station in Hinton.
Hometown artist Mariah Barnaby-Norris provided the bright and colourful imagery that the structure is wrapped in. Even though she now lives in the United States, she still remembers fondly her high school years and enjoying the nearby great outdoors with friends.
“We would always go Jasper: the mountains and the wildlife we’d see,” she said.
“Just outside of Hinton and all the way to Jasper was amazing, and something that I feel like now I’m realizing I was very lucky to witness and be part of that level of wildlife and beauty and views.”
Her concept for the artwork was to depict an idyllic nature scene with animals unconcerned with climate change and air pollution.
“I think the work that WCAS is doing is really important, especially considering where the world is headed,” she said.
The Airsheds and Artists Initiative was a partnership with Canadian Women in Design and serves to beautify what is otherwise an industrial-looking building into a piece of public art.
It also serves to draw attention to the new permanent station that replaces the temporary one initially set up in fall 2022 on the 100 block of Seabolt Drive.
In doing so, it helps to raise public awareness of the WCAS’s work.
“Very purposely, we’re trying to say, ‘This is an air monitoring station. We want you to notice it. We want you to see it as a community asset and understand that people can get real time data from any of our stations just going to the website,’” said WCAS Executive Director Gary Redmond.
The WCAS is one of 10 airshed societies in the province that draw communities’ attention to the quality of the air they breathe.
Large industrial emitters are obligated to fund the airshed societies to help establish and operate these stations.
The societies also receive grants and other financial support from Alberta Environment and Parks and their own membership bases, which now includes Jasper.
Each station continuously monitors for nitrogen dioxide, ground level ozone and fine particulate matter, all of which comprise the three parameters of the Air Quality Health Index.
Hinton’s stations also monitor for sulphur dioxide and total reduced sulphur, industrial emissions produced by the Hinton Pulp Mill.
Data can be accessed by visiting and clicking on “live air data.”
The WCAS has so far received very positive feedback on the new permanent station and its artistic look.
As a bonus to the artist, this air quality monitoring station – Hinton’s second, after the first one was installed East River Road – is a prominent and now permanent fixture in the Hillcrest field behind Father Gerard Redmond Community Catholic School, which Barnaby-Norris previously attended.
“Some of my old teachers ... they’re telling me that they walk by it every day. That’s pretty cool,” she said.
“I was very honoured to have my artwork in Hinton where it all started.”
