Picture the future – on the back of a bus!2 min read

Reading Time: 2 minutes

A Māngere Bridge school student is one of three winners of an art competition held by Auckland Light Rail. Waterlea School pupil, Alexi Herrold, was pleasantly surprised when her teacher approached her with the exciting news. “I never thought I would win. First, I told my best friend, and then my classmates, who were all happy for me. It was such a massive shock, but I was very excited.”

The three winning images have been framed and engraved, with each design to be displayed on the back of buses and bus shelters, seen by an estimated 12,000 people every day. Their schools were also awarded $1000 towards transportation costs for their next school outing or field trip.

As part of the Auckland Light Rail (ALR) Picture the Future art competition, local students from schools on the light rail proposed route were given the opportunity to draw their impression of a future neighbourhood with light rail transport. The other two winning artworks were created by Eshaal from Waikowhai Intermediate Mt Roskill and Neveah from Māngere Central School.

The competition was run as part of an ALR community engagement programme, and promoted through schools and at community events. Judging was carried out by a select panel of ALR team of designers, technical experts, board members and youth, and received over 200 entries. The ALR team was highly impressed with the creativity and positive vision of all the artwork entries, which will be displayed in the ALR online gallery at lightrail.co.nz/competition.

ALR stage one is set to run from the City Centre to Māngere – an area that will be home to 17% of Auckland’s future population growth and 33% of job growth over the next three decades. This will be the first leg of a system that will connect to the North Shore and North-West in time, supporting jobs, growth, and housing.

To join the mailing list to receive regular updates on the project or if you have enquiries, email info@aucklandlightrail.govt.nz

 

(Alexi Herrold with her winning design – both framed and on the back of a bus)