The first of two outdoor art works is beginning to take shape near the Domain Road interchange alongside the Tauranga Eastern Link.
The 130m long palisade pa sculpture is one of two artworks entitled Bound Around, being installed ahead of the road's official opening later this year.
The Domain Road pa site takes shape. Photos: Supplied.
An eight-metre high spinifex will be installed near the Tara Road roundabout next month.
Created by renowned New Zealand artist Regan Gentry, Bound Around is funded by the NZ Transport Agency through the TEL project and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, with support from Tauranga City Council.
Regan began preparing the pa in February and expects to be finished installing it in the early May, when he will begin work on the spinifex.
Together, the public artworks are set to become some of the largest on display in New Zealand. The pa is made from roadside safety guard rails, and wood repurposed from Tauranga's Coronation Pier, while the spinifex is made from street lights.
'Motorists travelling between Te Puke and Tauranga will have noticed the pa taking shape over the past week or so,” says Regan.
'We have been working long days to get it up, and despite a few battles from the wet weather, we are almost finished.
'It has been a blast to create and I am really exciting about the whole project. It is really exciting to do something on this scale. It's a bit of a boy's dream for me and it is looking great.”
The Transport Agency's senior project manager Wayne Troughton says the public artworks will help create a sense of place.
'These sculptures will help make the TEL a road to remember for travellers,” he says.
'The pa sculpture refers to the historic pa sites in the Papamoa Hills and the spinifex references the beach and the wind-blown coastal plant that is a feature of the Papamoa beachscape, which runs parallel to the TEL.”
The sculptures will join other artworks and urban design elements already in place along the TEL that identify key locations, such as the waharoa which overlooks the Paengaroa roundabout, or the panels on the Domain Road interchange that reflect the historic flax trade.
'There are many special places dotted along the TEL and the Transport Agency felt it was important to capture these and help the community tell the local stories,” adds Wayne.
The cost of the sculpture project is approximately $200,000 including design, build and installation. The large scale works are designed to be viewed from a moving vehicle.
20 comments
How much was that
Posted on 22-04-2015 10:01 | By Surfwatch
I thought it was reinforcing for a new bypass structure. I sincerely hope that it does not cost more than the roading work being carried on around it.
.
Posted on 22-04-2015 14:43 | By maccachic
Would have rather seen the money invested into useful community facilities.
maccahic
Posted on 22-04-2015 16:13 | By YOGI BEAR
yeah agree or less tolls or less debt, how simple is that. PS looks like a weird thing whatever it is meant to be?
What a waste of money!
Posted on 22-04-2015 17:15 | By MissMel
I read the NZTA spent $ 250 000 on this. Surely, things like this should be put to vote to locals. I'd imagine a giant surfboard with a wave would be much more fitting for Papamoa.
Reagain said
Posted on 22-04-2015 17:44 | By nerak
art
Posted on 22-04-2015 19:46 | By Ness
what a joke is that art I think not , why can't our money be spent for the right reasons not this rubbish
Great sculptures
Posted on 22-04-2015 20:34 | By Skagg
And what a great way to celebrate local identity. Good on whoever it was that came up with the idea and thanks to the agencies involved in supporting it. Looking forward to seeing them completed
Omokoroa
Posted on 22-04-2015 20:35 | By kb
Well Omokoroa has a boulder, strategically placed last week , for what reason who knows!! so some councillor can leave his mark I guess, clowns!! easy spending someone elses money.
WHO IS PAYING
Posted on 22-04-2015 21:17 | By The Caveman
Total waste of money ! Who is getting paid for this pile of logs? And how much?
It's bloody ugly.
Posted on 22-04-2015 22:50 | By CC8
I thought the timbers from Coronation Pier were condemmed? , maybe they wern't so bad ,just that having a pier there didn't suit Stuart's political ambitions??
How long will it last
Posted on 23-04-2015 07:13 | By The author of this comment has been removed.
before the taggers have a go, someone chops a log down, one rots away, the weeds overtake it or all of this? A simple flagpole, perhaps donated from Elizabeth St would have done it.
Posted on 23-04-2015 12:46 | By Road Ranger
Is this art or another distraction for motorists?
Art???
Posted on 23-04-2015 13:32 | By Me again
Will there a picnic area so I can take my visitors from ovaseas to see Tauranga's fine art sculpture in the middle of a around-about. Or do I just go round and round and one more time or till we get dizzy.
Traffic distraction
Posted on 25-04-2015 13:24 | By YOGI BEAR
Over the top, expensive waste of money and an obstruction to visibility on the road. Guess in 3-6 months it will be shifted sideways and end up as a rust heap, just in a different location that is all. Wonder how much he had to pay to be able to do this, cant imagine any sensible official agreeing to this otherwise?
WTF?
Posted on 26-04-2015 10:04 | By Kenworthlogger
Oh my god is that what it is. More tax payers money being wasted. Who authorised this? Im sick of paying for unneeded ****
leubert
Posted on 27-04-2015 12:33 | By YOGI BEAR
Agree, where is the "Art" here?
Awesome
Posted on 29-04-2015 16:55 | By Sup
That sculpture is awesome, forget those mean comments. That sculpture is a great representation of the Papamoa hills. I can't wait for the Spinifix.
first of two outdoor art works?
Posted on 06-05-2015 15:37 | By YOGI BEAR
Oh my god, there is more, this first one is likely the soft touch, the other well look out folks for the mammoth behemoth that will surely dwarf this monstrous overkill.
Rename it...
Posted on 09-05-2015 01:06 | By GreertonBoy
Hedge hog hill?
GreertonBoy
Posted on 09-05-2015 14:10 | By YOGI BEAR
I like it, just not enough pointed bits that's all.
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