Inspirational environmental message for tagged city wall

Rotorua District Council (RDC) and Keep Rotorua Beautiful are embarking on another initiative to help spruce-up Rotorua’s inner city, this time with support from the local ‘Bully Free Bro’ campaign.

A frequently tagged wall in the Pukuatua Street alleyway next to Ronnies Café is being painted over with the environmental message ‘Be the solution, not the pollution’ on Saturday 7 June from 12 noon.

The catchphrase was coined by Rotokawa Primary School teacher Brigitte Holmes. It gained traction when one of her students, Storm Peita, used it as inspiration for his clean-up efforts which won him last year’s Keep Rotorua Beautiful’s (KRB) Environmental Award for primary school students.

The painting work is part of KRB’s Absolutely Tag Free project.

‘Bully Free Bro’ is a programme run by national organisation, Te Punanga Haumaru, which addresses and helps resolve the personal effects of bullying on society.

Councillor Karen Hunt, portfolio lead for the council’s Inner City Revitalisation strategy, said she was pleased the ‘Bully Free Bro’ community has come on board to help paint over an unsightly tagged wall with an inspiring message.

“The Absolutely Tag Free project was initiated to not only beautify our inner city but to help educate by introducing positive messages throughout our city. Quotes that the community can identify with on a personal level have the most impact, such as ‘Be the solution, not the pollution’, which obviously struck a chord with young Storm.”

Bully Free Bro coordinator Warren Tumarae said joining the Absolutely Tag Free project made sense for his team.

“Our kaupapa is to increase positive messaging in our communities. We’re proud to have been invited to participate in this positive project because it benefits our youth and our city. Inspiring and educating our young people is key to the success of any programme.”

Locals and visitors are encouraged to go along and watch the ‘Bully Free Bro’ team painting the alleyway wall on Pukuatua Street on 7 June from 12pm to 2pm. They can also support the group’s $1 sausage sizzle, with all proceeds going to the Bully Free Bro campaign.

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