Latest update: 21/12/2016

Students design 130 metre mural for East Frame

December 2016

Students aged between four and 15 from two Christchurch schools have designed a 130 metre mural to help bring to life the East Frame while construction of the public space is carried out.

“They tell that our neighbourhood can be a good place to be and that it’s fun and that that we have all these amazing things in New Zealand,” says Emily from Christchurch East School.

“They tell a story about how beautiful New Zealand is and how great our community is and how we work together,” says Hazel from Christchurch East School.

The 660-metre-long East Frame public space will sit in the middle of the East Frame Residential development, between Manchester and Madras Streets. The park will extend through five city blocks from Lichfield Street to Armagh Street and include walking and cycling paths.

The East Frame will not just be for the people who will live there in future, it is for everyone who will use the public space and everyone who lives and works nearby. So Ōtākaro Limited asked students from the neighbouring Christchurch East School and Ao Tawhiti Unlimited Discovery School to ponder, plan and paint murals that expressed what they would like to see in their ideal community.

“The people that the children created are everyday people playing sport, walking pets, and spending time with people they love. Our community is ever aware that we are returning to our inner city home in the future and we wanted to create an image of our neighbourhood where everyone felt they could belong,” says Ao Tawhiti Unlimited Discovery School teacher Melva Gill.

Ōtākaro is developing the park and paved areas that will form the third largest open space in central Christchurch.

Ōtākaro Chief Executive Albert Brantley says he is delighted with the work the students have produced.

“In their own way both schools have expressed similar visons for their ideal community, that this area be a place for everyone from pets to grandparents with plenty of space to be active. This is all largely achievable, as fortunately the elephant is metaphorical,” says Mr Brantley.

The murals have been placed on the corner of Manchester and Armagh Streets and will be moved to other locations around the site as work progresses.

The East Frame public space is expected to be completed at the end of 2017 and Fletcher Living is set to begin work on the residential development in late March/early April 2017.

Ōtākaro will be engaging with schools and other stakeholders to help develop connections to the Anchor Projects as they are being constructed.