A walk on the art side

Bader St bus shelter decorated by Hamilton artist Jeremy Shirley.

Living Streets' annual series of Spring Strolls is about to start again.

And this year the series is called Hamilton's World of Walkable Art and features the work of Jeremy Shirley and other artists with large works in public places.

This is the fifth year of Living Streets Hamilton's annual Spring Strolls: four Sunday afternoons when people can wander around the city on foot and see things they didn't know existed.

Hamilton has a lot of street art, much of it done by Jeremy Shirley, of bus shelter fame.

This year the walks will take in some public art on every stroll mostly paintings, many but not all of them Jeremy's and a sculpture or two for good measure.

The walks will start at 2pm and will last between 60 and 90 minutes.

Those joining in are asked to take a raincoat, some sunscreen, a bottle of water and to wear comfortable shoes.

Dogs are welcome as long as they're on a leash and friendly.

Living Streets Hamilton co-ordinator Judy McDonald says the walks have had over 100 people participate in the past and is hoping to "break the 150 barrier this year".

Meeting points are as follows, at 2pm:

Sunday, October 12: Fairfield area. Meet outside St Paul's Collegiate on Hukanui Rd. Parking is available outside the college, or in neighbouring side streets such as Kensington, Elmira and Ascot. The walk will go past several decorated bus shelters and Jeremy's striking Exeloo at the Five Cross Rds shops, along with showing off the new pedestrian facilities at Five Cross Rds.

Sunday, October 19: Central city area. Meet outside Cafe 547 on Grey St. Parking is available on Grey St or in neighbouring side streets such as Dawson and Beale. This walk will include a couple of treasures in Hamilton East and move across to the CBD for a stroll incorporating a couple of statues, some work by Jeremy and a number of other artists, and proceed back under River Rd to return to the starting point. There might be time for a coffee and cake at Cafe 547 at the end they're open until 4pm.

Sunday, November 2: Hospital/Melville area. Meet outside the tennis courts in Palmerston St. Parking is available in Manning, Hammond or Fow Sts, or in the cul-de-sac end of Anglesea St. The walk begins with an inspection of a decorated bus shelter near the tennis courts and proceeds past the hospital to look at the art work in Bader St, Melville Park and on the Exeloo at the bottom of Grantham St as the group returns along the riverbank walk.

Sunday, November 9: Hillcrest area. Meet at the Hillcrest Library in Masters Ave. The walk will go through Hillcrest Park to explore the two pedestrian underpasses in Cambridge Rd (both decorated by Jeremy), through Jansen Park, along some pleasant residential streets and through the university campus to Hillcrest Rd, inspecting more bus shelters on the way, through some local shortcuts to return to the starting point.