Forgotten lane now ‘iconic’ due to city Spring Clean
From “grotty” to “iconic”, a central city lane has been given a new lease of life in a growing movement to spruce up Nelson’s city centre.
A mural complete with two bright signs now adorns the previously forgotten laneway, next to the Theatre Royal, in the latest project from the Spring Clean initiative in the CBD.
Eleven volunteers brought the black-and-white mural to life last weekend, painting it on a string of white-washed windows along the laneway, between Rutherford and Vanguard streets.
Designed by artist Richard Sellars, the “playful” mural – dubbed the Royal Parade -featured stick figures interacting with various creatures, and symbols based on existing graffiti.
The “black line design” of the connected images was to let light through the white-washed windows into the adjacent business.
Two colourful faces completed the mural on Tuesday, one at either end of the lane, with arrows pointing to the back entrance of the Theatre Royal and Rockquest Promotions.
Volunteers included people from Rockquest Promotions, environmental consultants Boffa Miskell and artists, said Anne Rush, general manager of Make/Shift Spaces which facilitated the Spring Clean initiative.
While a donor provided $300 for the artist’s drawings, Rockquest funded the face pictures, Rush said.
“It becomes an iconic image; that if someone is from out of town and they want to know where the back door to the Theatre Royal is, look for the big red eyes, and follow the arrow.”
The Spring Clean initiative started last year as a result of the What If Whakatū Nelson series of talks, facilitated by Make/Shift Spaces in late 2023 to explore ideas to reinvigorate the central business district.
More people were involved in the Spring Clean this year, including property and business owners, Rush said.
Activities including weeding and planting at various sites, graffiti blasting, art-work installation and cleaning Bank Lane, off Trafalgar St – including repairing a bench seat.
While the Spring Clean was set down for October, it kept going, Rush said.
“People just got ideas and thought right, we’re going to do it. It just developed a life of its own.”
The initiative was a matter of “civic pride”, Rush said.
Liberty Fox from Bank Lane clothes business, Trouble and Fox, said the volunteers did an “incredible job”.
“It inspired us to get stuck in too. Many hands made light work of years of grime, and now Bank Lane is glowing again.”
By Katy Jones, Nelson Mail
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