Source: Auckland Council
Waiuku artist Brigita Botma’s Pukeoware Hall before and after job has won national recognition.
Manabell Design owner Brigita’s work, depicting the area’s history, covers what was a bland paint job with a work that’s been named the Resene Best Professional Mural of the Year.
The mural, which took almost three months to complete, beat out hundreds of entries from all over the country, and hall secretary Mandie Hildreth says it’s added even more vibrancy to the well-used facility.
The hall committee met with Brigita to discuss the mural layout and the community was consulted to ensure it reflected the past and recent history of the area.
Pukeoware receives funding each year from the Franklin Local Board, and Waiuku representative Sharlene Druyven says the painting thoroughly deserves to be recognised. “It is a lovely work that showcases Brigita’s obvious talent.”
Fellow Waiuku board representative Matthew Murphy says he’s delighted with the mural, and pleased the board was able to arrange for the Manukau Beautification Trust team to provide anti-graffiti protection.
Auckland Council rural halls advisor Jane Cain says the hall team does a great job, providing a first-class facility that is at the centre of much of what goes in the surrounding area.
“They are all volunteers and it’s another example of how much communities benefit from hard-working locals.”
The non-profit volunteer-run and community-owned hall is well-situated to serve Waiuku, Pukekohe and Glenbrook, capable of hosting everything from meetings to large weddings, along with a variety of community activities such as table tennis and pre-school fitness, and even dog training.
Plans are already underway to screen the family film How to Train Your Dragon at the hall at 7pm on 9 April 2021, the film chosen by the Pukeoware School PTA, which will fundraise and sell food at the event.
Hildreth says the committee is grateful for the work Cain did on the project to keep committee members and the community up to date, and for council sponsoring, funding and organising the film event for locals.
