Local loos given local colour

A couple of public bathrooms are being given some colourful flair, courtesy of the Kaipara District Council (KDC) and two Mangawhai artists.

The outer walls of Sellers Reserve toilet cubicle on Alamar Crescent now boasts the signature design bright colours and bold style of local artist Sarah C, while Mangawhai Activity Zone’s toilet block will receive a mural reflecting the bird life of Mangawhai Community Park, by artist Thijs de Koning.

Inspired by the surrounding coastal environment, Sarah’s mural portrays Kiwi summer icons of Pohutukawa’s, deep blue sky, a welcoming deck chair and a pod of Orcas, selected to represent the recent sighting of the whales who swam into the lagoon on a hunt for stingray.

“It is a piece that reflects the nostalgia of summer,” Sarah says. “Long days and hours spent enjoying Mangawhai Harbour.”

KDC’s Communications Manager, Heidi Clark, and Community Planner, Annie van der Plas, were involved in the art initiative and say the project came about due to Mangawhai not having a lot of public art.

“The Council wants to see more beauty in public places,” Heidi says. “We want to create more sense of community ownership and also give artists more of a representation.”

While there are no plans at this stage to facilitate murals in other areas of Kaipara district, the Council is open to the idea and say they would like to continue to work with local artist communities.

Annie van der Plas says they are ‘really pleased’ with Sarah’s work.