Street Planters and Seating
Cnr Cross and Hinau St, Castlecliff - Whanganui, New Zealand
Historically a busy shopping area with smaller specialist shops, when large supermarkets moved to the Whanganui town centre most of these business’s closed down. Despite a Kura (Maori immersion school) directly across the road, cars speed through the pedestrian crossing. With donations from local business and the community, street planters were installed to add colour, vegetation and to soften the area. Seating was also installed so people can stop and smell the flowers.
The planters were painted by local children giving them some agency, pride and ownership of shared spaces, and their environment.
A community effort
Thanks to: Downer's, Macdonald Concrete Whanganui, Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre, Mitre 10 Whanganui, Resene Colorshop Whanganu, Easy Earth, Castlecliff Coast Care, and donations received via the Progress Castlecliff Give-a-little page and all the volunteers. Rachel Stephenson (EVE Outdoor Design) and Colin Gates (Progress Castlecliff) co-ordinated and carried out all works.
In August 2022 Rachel Stephenson worked with local children, and community members, to paint the planters. Big thanks to all the children and parents who came and made our street more beautiful!! Thank you RESENE Colorshop Whanganui for sponsorship of all paint and to Creative Communities (Whanganui District Council and Creative New Zealand) for funding these workshops.
“Love the children’s additions, so impressed I stopped to take a photo today, as I biked past. Really lifts the area, and provides that ownership which reduces vandalism. Well done”
Graham Pearson, long time Castlecliff Resident, Castlecliff Coast Care, Progress Castlecliff.