New Castlecliff bus shelter to feature images of nearby plant and insect life

Artist Claire Bell will engrave plant and insect life in glass. Photo / File

A bus shelter covered in art that represents the suburb it will serve is to be installed outside the Rangiora St library in Castlecliff.

Glass on the shelter will be engraved by local artist Claire Bell, with a design inspired by the plant and insect life found in the Castlecliff sand dunes.

Horizons Regional Council transport manager Phil Hindrup said the shelter had received strong community support, and engraving the glass was the artistic option chosen to reduce vandalism.

The new bus shelter will be installed outside the library on Rangiora St. Photo / Lewis Gardner

Whanganui District Council active transport facilitator Norman Gruebsch said support for the shelter and its engraving had been phenomenal.

"It's really encouraging to see the community getting behind this new infrastructure, participating in the process to have it installed and coming up with options to protect it from vandalism.

"As well as making bus travel a more comfortable option for our Castlecliff residents, the new bus shelter will be an attractive feature in the suburb."

Bell said the project is a good fit with the existing creative community in Castlecliff.

"Having an opportunity to make work at a mural scale, as my glass engraving technique is named for, is an amazing opportunity, and one which I am going to enjoy every minute of."

Bell submitted three designs with different ways to incorporate the area and community into the work.

"Using the local flora and fauna was a clear winner to correlate with the other area artworks, environment and provide interest for the public of all ages," Bell said.

Responsibility for Whanganui's bus shelters is shared between Horizons Regional Council and Whanganui District Council, with Horizons advising where shelters are placed and covering the installation costs, while Whanganui District Council funds ongoing maintenance.

A Whanganui District Council spokesperson said the bus shelter is due to be installed this week.

The glass engraving is expected to be finished next month.