Council is again supporting the spring clean initiative over the next week, following the success of last year’s inaugural event facilitated by Make/Shift Spaces. It’s about Council, businesses, property owners, infrastructure providers and the community coming together to give our city a refresh.
It has been the toughest winter for Nelson in decades – for retailers, the hospitality sector and industry – and we need to shake off the winter blues.
This campaign is about clearing away the graffiti and grime regardless of whether it is a public space, private property or infrastructure. It’s about waterblasting, weeding, painting and gardening. It’s about fostering pride in our city and bringing people together.
The 2025 Spring Clean grew out of the What If Whakatū Nelson community hub and the City Revitalisation Summit last year when we asked the community for ideas on revitalising the city. It is again being facilitated by Make/Shift Spaces with General Manager Anne Rush at the helm.
Volunteers have already been at work. A team from our Suter Art Gallery have been out cleaning the 27 paintings on the city’s ArtWalk. The Angel Gardeners have been tidying the big planter pots in Bridge Street. Businesses along Vanguard Street are pledging to upgrade their gardens and CLM the area around the Trafalgar Centre. Another team of volunteers intend to focus on Pioneer Park.
We are asking people city wide to help us tidy and spruce up our city. I love the work of Alastair Cotterill at Tāhunanui Beach and Alan Mant in Konini Street. Council is also ensuring areas such as the flower beds around the Cathedral and ANZAC Park are planted this year.
The ingredients to a revitalised city are many. They involve upgrading infrastructure and attracting more commercial and residential investment. We need to promote the city as a great place to visit and study. The city being clean, safe and tidy helps all these.
The 2025 Spring Clean Whakatū Nelson campaign runs from Saturday, 11 October to Sunday, 19 October. It includes a Multicultural Market at the top of Trafalgar Street on Saturday, 18 October.
