Traditional Māori art anchors Whanganui regeneration design

Image / Supplied

Traditional Māori design is at the heart of new road art installed as part of the Whanganui town centre regeneration project.

The traditional patterns and motifs feature in the new streetscape being installed on Drews Ave, with the road mural and other elements of the transformation ready to be unveiled at a street party on Friday evening.

Local artists Cecelia Kumeroa and Jodi Clark worked with Whanganui District Council's Town Centre Regeneration team on the artwork.

Town Centre project manager Ellen Young says the road art makes a dramatic statement, marking out the area as "somewhere special".

She says the design is built around the concept of unity and includes the saw-edged niho taniwha pattern representing protection, and a rau kumara design symbolising the growth of creativity and ideas.

The artwork also has a practical function. Ellen Young says that applying this kind of large-scale art to the road slows traffic passing through, making it safer for visitors in a destination area such as this.

The new Drews Ave streetscape will include greenery, seating and an outdoor gallery space with light boxes featuring UCOL student art.

Dan Mills (left) and Si Ormerod confer over the Drews Ave road design on June 10. Photo / Paul Brooks

Tonight's celebration is combining with this year's Lights on Bikes parade, with cyclists gathering from 6pm. Live music will kick off around 7pm and there will also be food trucks and other entertainment.

Ninety per cent of the Drews Ave project is funded by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency's Innovating Streets fund, which gives councils the chance to trial changes to streetscapes. Community feedback on the changes will be collected over a year to assess whether they should be removed, changed or made permanent.

Progress on the artwork two weeks ago. Photo / Lewis Gardner