Hastings – getting more beautiful every day

More Hastings utility boxes are about to get prettier, with the call going out for artists who want to help keep Hastings beautiful.

So far 20 boxes across the district having been covered with original art and 10 more will undergo facelifts this year.

Hastings District Council has an agreement with Chorus, the telecommunications company that owns many of the utility boxes around the district’s street.

That deal sees council and Chorus staff choose the final artworks from artists’ submissions. The works have to be relevant to the suburb in which they are sited.

This year’s 10 Chorus boxes will get the art treatment. By the time the work is finished, all of Flaxmere’s Chorus boxes will be beautified, and most of Hastings and Havelock North’s.

The project is a “win/win” for residents and Chorus, says council’s environment enhancement officer Wendy Beeke.

“Research told us that public art reduced the amount of tagging on things like utility boxes; and it has proved true. We get beautiful art to look at, and Chorus doesn’t have to spend time and money constantly removing tagging from their infrastructure.”

Deputy mayor Cynthia Bowers is encouraging artists to put their ideas up for consideration.

“Hastings holds the Keep New Zealand Beautiful ‘Most Beautiful City’ award, and it is initiatives like these that adds to the jewels in our crown. The range of themes across the boxes already painted is very broad and we’re looking forward to seeing what ideas come forward this year.”

The boxes up for beautification this year are:

Flaxmere

Near 19 Tarbet St (Box code FME/N)

Near Kirkwood and Omahu Rds intersection (FME/U)

Havelock North

Near 338 Te Mata Rd (HVN/AN)

Near 38 Te Mata Peak Rd (HVN/AQ)

Hastings

Near 816 Nelson St (HBN/CA)

Near 306 Willowpark Rd South (HBN/CF)

Near 416 Gascoigne St (HBN/BV)

Near 318 Orchard Rd (HBN/R)

Near 704 Pakowhai Rd (HBN/BK)

Near Mahora School (HBN/AZ)

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