Wall of love to be set up in Wellington for Christchurch messages

This section of hoarding outside the Town Hall is being set up to be used for messages of love and support. Photo / Supplied

A wall for people to write messages and love and support for victims of the Christchurch shootings is being set up in Wellington.

Following the terrorist attack in which 50 people were killed, graffitied messages of support have popped up around the city - and Wellington City Council is hoping to encourage people to instead share their feelings on the wall.

The space is being created in Te Ngākau Civic Square on a hoarding by the closed Town Hall building, and will remain in place for three months.

"We recognise that the people of Wellington want a place to demonstrate their support and aroha for the Muslim community, migrants, and those from a refugee background," Mayor Justin Lester said.

"Council staff have worked with the community to create a safe, inner-city space where the public can do this through artwork and written words.

"It's also apt that it's located in Civic Square as the te reo name Te Ngākau gifted to the area means the heart – the centre of the city for all ages, cultures, and gatherings."

Given the outpouring of grief, council asked its contractors to show discretion around the graffitied positive messaging in the public realm until a solution could be found.

Council has commissioned local artist Greta Menzies to paint a message to be a permanent feature of the wall. The rest of the space will be painted with blackboard paint for the public to write messages in chalk. Chalk will be left out for people to use each day.

Work on the mural will start later this week, weather permitting, so will be available for the public to add their messages by the weekend.

Paint, tag, spray paint and graffiti are not to be used at the site – if people want to use paint they can do so at the wind shield walls at Waitangi Skate Park.

The Te Ngākau Civic Square message site will be up for three months, but given it's for chalk and works may be rubbed or rained off, council suggests people take a photo to record their creations. It will eventually be removed or painted over to make way for another series of artworks.

Council's Local Hosts and security guards will keep an eye on the site, and any messages containing objectionable material will be reported and removed immediately.