The school bus stop on Wainui Road is bursting with colour following a community-led upgrade that has transformed the once-plain shelter into a vibrant piece of public art.
A newly painted mural now brightens the daily routine for local students and passers-by alike.
Kylee Davis, who lives nearby, sparked the project after spotting a post by travelling artist Kyla K on the Raglan Noticeboard. Seeing an opportunity to bring some creativity to the neighbourhood, she reached out and set the wheels in motion for the collaboration.
“I’ve often thought the local bus stop could do with a bit of love and attention,” Kylee says. “What might seem like a simple bus stop is actually a place where people gather and shelter from the weather. It felt like the perfect opportunity to turn something purely functional into something creative that the whole community can be proud of.”
Kylee also donated the paint for the project and spent time preparing the bus stop ahead of the mural’s creation.
From Christchurch, Kyla K has been travelling around Aotearoa, leaving behind artwork in various forms as a way of giving back to the communities she visits.
“I’ve been on a creative road trip around the North Island, catching up with artists that I know, calling into communities and trying to leave art behind since end of January,” Kyla says.
After a full day’s work on the mural, the drab bus stop on the corner of Wainui and Upper Wainui Roads has been transformed into a bright and cheerful work of art.
“This was a big day – like a nine to six day,” she says. “I’ve never worked on corrugated iron before but it was so much fun just working out a different style of my illustration.”
Known for her quirky illustrations, murals and hand-painted art, Kyla hopes her work will inspire other creatives to add splashes of colour to everyday spaces.
“I guess I’m throwing down the wero for other artists to do the same,” she laughs.
For Kyla, the real reward of public art is the joy it brings. “When the little girl got off the bus, she had no idea it would be different – she’d left for school that morning like any other day, and when she came home around three o’clock, this was waiting for her,” Kyla says. “It was just a day’s worth of painting for me, but it’s lovely to know it means so much more to others.”
Once neighbours caught wind of the project, others quickly came on board. Local florist Kristel Lindfield from Raglan Floral Co adorned the bus stop with flowers, while Brendon Ingle offered to mow a walking strip to make the journey safer for children travelling to and from the stop.
Eleven-year-old Frankie March, a regular bus user, is a big fan of the makeover. “I really like the colours – pink is one of my favourite colours,” she says.
