Young artists get creative outside Hampshire St shops

The planter box bollards outside the Hampshire St shops in Aranui have become a canvas for budding young artists.

Chisnallwood Intermediate pupils have decorated the boxes with murals related to the shop it sits next to.  

The murals feature fish and chips, people from the neighbourhood, flowers and even a kiwi on a surfboard.   

Chisnallwood Intermediate pupil Calleigh helped create a mural outside of the Hampshire Mini Mart, featuring the shop’s customers.   

“It’s great,” Calleigh said.

“I could do this sort of thing every single day.

“I’ve seen a lot of murals around town, and I took inspiration from those.”  

The young artists were mentored by local artist Brandon Warrell whose art has featured throughout Christchurch.

One of Warrell's notable works was Rise from the Rubble, featuring a silvereye/wax-eye and kowahi tree, on Hereford St. 

The planter boxes also act as bollards to prevent ram-raids and are fireproof. 

The work has been funded through Waka Kotahi NZTA's streets for people programme which aims to make the area more friendly and accessible.  

There will also be upgrades to 14 intersections throughout Aranui on popular school routes, footpath widening on Breezes Rd, Hampshire St and Rowan Ave, as well as speed bumps installed in a number of locations around Chisnallwood, Haeata and Hampshire St. 

Space for more road art will be reserved outside St James School and Wainoni Park.  

The full project, which includes improvements to crossings outside Haeata Community Campus, Chisnallwood Intermediate and St James School, can be viewed here.