Cuba Mall, popular hang-out for buskers and pigeons, was treated to a much-needed clean up last week in preparation for the Rugby World Cup.
The spruce-up is part of the Wellington City Council’s Graffiti Removal Campaign.
Council CitiOperations Manager Mike Mendonca says the project targeted removing graffiti and stickers, touching up paint and improving the look of gardens and street furniture. The project will not remove any legal artwork.
The Council has involved businesses in the project to ensure the street remains tidy. They distributed kits containing graffiti remover, sponges and brushes and information on how to keep their premises clean.
“We want to encourage retailers to keep their premises clean on an ongoing basis… and keep it looking great and feeling safe for both residents and visitors,” Mendonca says.
The Council also hopes to reduce graffiti by closing access from Left Bank except onto Cuba Street.
Council spokesperson, Emma Titcombe, believes the project has so far been a success.
“The areas that have been cleaned look great, and the kits were well received, but there is still a lot to do, including the paint-out of graffiti in Left Bank,” she says.
Titcombe says the project will have benefits for the city beyond the World Cup.
“It was also an opportunity to address the graffiti problem in Wellington, residents and retailers are hopefully more aware of what they can do to help and report graffiti.”
“Hopefully there will be some long term benefits in terms of a reduction of graffiti.”