Ōmokoroa Public Art Group

Our major achievement in the last few months of 2019 was the installation in October, and public unveiling in December, of Te Punga: The Anchor Stone, a stunning sculpture by Ashley Grant, on the foreshore of the Ōmokoroa Domain.

It is fitting at this point to acknowledge the leadership of Janine Birch, as Chairperson of OPAG since its inception in 2010. Janine has been tireless in leading the planning and overseeing the implementation of three significant public art works in the Ōmokoroa community: The wrought iron panels at Western Ave, The Ōmokoroa Lizard, and Te Punga-The Anchor Stone.

Janine continues to be a member of OPAG in 2020, with myself now taking the role of Chairperson, and we welcome two new faces to the group: Ashley Grant, and John Evans.

Current projects include a replacement for our Lizard, which was sadly stolen last year. Discussions with all those involved in the original sculpture, and with Ōmokoroa ITM (who have generously offered considerable sponsorship for a replacement sculpture) are underway, and we hope to have a new Lizard in place as soon as possible.

We are actively working on two other projects, in association with Western Bay of Plenty District Council: a sculpture which we hope will be placed at the intersection of Tralee Street and Ōmokoroa Road, and a mural which we hope will be painted on the changing sheds at the Ōmokoroa Domain, as part of the new playground development. We are delighted that Becks Chambers (WBOPDC) is now acting as our liaison person for all Council-related matters, and she has already provided great support in event planning and in discussions with WBOPDC.

We are also in conversation with Phillip Martelli (WBOPDC) to ensure that public artworks are an integral part of the planning for the continued development of Ōmokoroa. Article courtesy Ōmokoroa Environmental Managers Inc.