A hallway in an out-of-the way spot on the Abbotsford campus now offers an immersive journey through history and nature. This transformation began with a simple observation: Dr. Stefania Pizzirani, a faculty member in the Planning, Geography, and Environmental Studies department, noticed that the corridor on the fourth floor of A Building lacked colour and warmth.  

 “I was thinking of how to refresh and revitalize the fourth floor hallway,” she recalls. “We had a beautiful old black-and-white map as the main feature in the hall, but we wanted to bring more colour and vibrancy to the area. We relocated the map closer to faculty offices, providing the perfect opportunity to reimagine this space.”  

 This sparked a vision to create a more welcoming and inspiring environment for students, with a feature that would guide them up to classrooms on the fourth floor. As she began considering ideas to bring vibrancy and life into the hallway, Stefania found inspiration from an unexpected source.  She noticed a student, Aysha McConkey, sketching during class. Aysha’s doodles were far from ordinary — intricate lines and shapes revealed an artistic depth and creative talent.  

 Together, Stefania and Aysha brainstormed a concept that would honour the natural world and the academic focus of the university. “Aysha really ran with the artistic design,” Stefania says. “She even instigated full research into the visual depiction of extinct and living species.”  

With Stefania’s support, Aysha designed the mural as a timeline, tracing the evolutionary history of Western Canada’s waters and its diverse species. Their goal was to create something not only beautiful but also educational, a daily reminder for students of the interconnectedness between their studies and the world around them.  

 The mural begins on the third floor of Building A and follows the stairwell up to the fourth floor, leading students along a path that spans hundreds of millions of years. This mural shows appreciation for the River and its ability to sustain life across millennia. There are exquisitely detailed representations of aquatic and terrestrial life throughout time as well as mindful acknowledgements of Stó:lō culture seen in the tl’élx̱xel (salmon), skwó:wech (sturgeon), sq’á:tl’ (otter), sp’óq’es (bald eagle), smōqw’e (great blue heron), Lhílheqey (the place name for Mount Cheam), x̱pá:yelhp (cedar), elíle (salmon berry), and more. 

 Starting with the Cambrian and Devonian eras, it features prehistoric creatures such as trilobites and Anomalocaris, transporting viewers back to a time when these ancient species thrived. Moving up the stairs, viewers encounter early jawed fish, followed by colourful paintings of the Fraser Valley’s present-day aquatic life. 

 By the time students reach the top floor, the mural has journeyed through geological eras to arrive at the present day. Here, Aysha’s art celebrates the Pacific salmon, a keystone species of the Fraser Valley and a cultural symbol for Indigenous communities. Through her research, Aysha carefully incorporated species that have long thrived in the local ecosystem, from salmon to trout, and even species at risk, such as the coastal cutthroat trout. 

 The fourth-floor hallway mural concludes with a nod to the Great Blue Heron Reserve, an important wetland ecosystem in Chilliwack. It features the western painted turtle, river otter, and several native plants like elderberry. The mural emphasizes the critical role of wetlands and honours the research many students have conducted at the reserve. By the time viewers reach this section, they are left with a sense of the diverse life that wetlands nurture and the importance of preserving such ecosystems. 

 Aysha’s artistic vision was realized through the collaborative efforts of faculty, students, and supporters. The mural was funded by the Planning, Geography, and Environmental Studies department, with additional support from Geoscience.  

 “It was a privilege to watch Aysha bring her talent to life on such a large canvas,” notes Stefania. “This project reflects the values of our department and gives students a daily connection to the themes they study.” 

 What started as a hallway refresh has become a vivid tapestry of environmental history and culture, a space that inspires students with each step. With much effort, dedication, and a year’s worth of work, this mural is more than just a painting — it is a testament to the power of education, creativity, and collaboration.