Mural with a message to cover unsightly wall

This wall next to Ronnie's Cafe will become the site of a new positive environmental message on Saturday. Photo/Stephen Parker

Another project aimed at cleaning up Rotorua's central city will also carry a strong environmental message.

The Rotorua District Council and Keep Rotorua Beautiful are embarking on another initiative to help spruce-up Rotorua's inner city, this time with support from the local Bully Free Bro campaign.

A frequently tagged wall in the Pukuatua St alleyway next to Ronnies Cafe is being painted over with the environmental message "Be the solution, not the pollution" this Saturday.

The catchphrase was coined by Rotokawa Primary School teacher Brigitte Holmes and gained traction when one of her students, Storm Peita, used it as inspiration for his clean-up efforts which won him last year's Keep Rotorua Beautiful (KRB) Environmental Award for primary school students.

The painting work is part of KRB's Absolutely Tag Free project while Bully Free Bro is a programme run by national organisation Te Punanga Haumaru which addresses the effects of bullying on society.

District councillor Karen Hunt said she was pleased the Bully Free Bro community had come on board to help paint over an unsightly tagged wall with an inspiring message. "The Absolutely Tag Free project was initiated to not only beautify our inner city but to help educate by introducing positive messages throughout our city.

"Quotes that the community can identify with on a personal level have the most impact," she said.

Bully Free Bro co-ordinator Warren Tumarae said joining the Absolutely Tag Free project made sense for his team.

"Our kaupapa is to increase positive messaging in our communities.

"We're proud to have been invited to participate in this positive project because it benefits our youth and our city.

People are encouraged to head along and watch the Bully Free Bro team painting the alleyway wall on Pukuatua St from midday to 2pm. They can also support the group's $1 sausage sizzle, with all proceeds going to the Bully Free Bro campaign.