Christchurch ar tist Leah Fraser-Henderson has been selected to create a sculpture for the reserve at the corner of Lyttelton Street and Lincoln Road.

A Christchurch City Council project selection team judged Mrs Fraser-Henderson’s work the most suitable for the site from design concepts submitted by a shortlist of three artists.

The Council’s Maori Arts Advisor and member of the selection team, Paula Rigby said, “Leah’s work was chosen over other submissions because its design complemented the site.”

A sum of $13,000 has been made available for the artwork from the Council’s Urban Renewal Fund and is being managed through the Spreydon/Heathcote Community Board. A further $5000 is available for installation of the work. The sculpture is planned to be completed by the end of June 2004.

As yet un-named, the reserve is historically significant for a number of reasons including the fact that it is important to Maori as a former mahinga kai area (place to gather food) and is well known for its mokihi, a special raupo canoe that was used in a former nearby stream.

It was also once part of the Waimakariri River, home to Nairns Nursery and is in the same vicinity as Addington Raceway and the Showgrounds.