Celebrate Charlie Delorme in Yellowknife this Saturday

A late Yellowknife resident renowned for his philanthropy will be celebrated beneath a mural in his honour on Saturday.

Charlie Delorme moved to Yellowknife in the 1960s and passed away in 2013, aged 64.

He was best known for giving away large chunks of his $100,000 federal residential school compensation to good causes, despite spending decades on the street.

Earlier this year, Yellowknife artist Terry Pamplin saw his mural commemorating Charlie lifted into place on 48th Street.

On Saturday, the City of Yellowknife’s heritage committee will hold an official unveiling for the mural at 1pm.

A heritage plaque, with wording provided by Kyle Thomas and translated into Chipewyan, will be installed beside the mural.

“While Charlie wasn’t homeless, the streets were his office as that is where he spent most of his time,” said Pamplin in a City news release issued on Thursday.

“My hope is that the mural will remind people of the memorable character known by most Yellowknifers as ‘Charlie’, and remind them to be tolerant toward street people whose homes and offices don’t have walls.”

Councillor Julian Morse, who chairs the heritage committee, said Pamplin’s work is “a heartwarming and colourful addition to our growing collection of public art downtown, and is a fitting memorial for a beloved Yellowknife character.”