Local Love in Action: Bringing Healing and Connection to Kamloops

This a story about the power of Local Love Funds in action—supporting community-led healing when it’s needed most. ❤️

In Kamloops, ideas powered by community passion continue to come to life. Our Hi Neighbour Community Engagement Coordinator, Sam Bregoliss, partnered with Shay Paul’s Artistic Collective, the Indigenous Resurgence Project, to bring forward a powerful exhibition that honours the historic Red Bridge, its deep history of connection, and the profound sense of loss felt after its destruction.

Thanks to a Local Love Fund—available through United Way BC Hi Neighbour and locally sponsored by BCLC—a community-led idea has grown into a shared space for memory, healing, and reconnection.

A Bridge Lost, A Community Affected

On September 19, 2024, the 88-year-old Red Bridge, a vital link between Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc and the City of Kamloops, was lost to a devastating fire.

For many, its destruction was more than the loss of a structure. It represented the rupture of something meaningful: a symbol of relationship, history, and belonging. The grief expressed across the community underscored how deeply the bridge was woven into the local story.

Honouring Memory Through Art

The exhibition invited artists of all backgrounds to reflect on the meaning and memory of the Red Bridge through artwork and storytelling. Community members are also encouraged to share their own reflections—because the story of the bridge lives in the people who crossed it, admired it, and felt connected through it.

Together, these shared experiences create a collective moment of remembrance—an opportunity for the community to come together, honour what was lost, and reimagine connection moving forward.

Experience the Exhibition

👉 Watch this video to have a first-hand look at the heartfelt exhibition at the Kamloops Art Gallery.