Mayor calls halt to removals in sex pervert row

Kāpiti’s Mayor Jenny Rowan says there is no intention by Council to remove any more of the artworks in the Paraparaumu Beach precinct associated with sex offender Brendan Nolan. these are integrated into seating ,rubbish bins and other street facilities

Last week the  Kāpiti  Coast Council  decided to remove the Tui at Paraparaumu Beach sculpted by Brendan Nolan, of Paekakariki, who’s been jailed for more than five years for sex offences against young girls.

Another large sculpture at the entrance to Paekakariki School has been removed; as well as a  Nolan painting in the Paraparaumu Library.

The Mayor’s dramatic intervention in the row over Nolan’s work follows impassioned criticism by Councillor K Gurunathan of the lack of a coherent KCDC policy on public art — and a warning that Council now faces a problem over other artwork at the Beach which has input from Mr Nolan.

Mayor’s reaction

In a special announcement today, Mayor Rowan comments: “This artwork (at Paraparaumu Beach) is largely the work of another artist, Don DeMacedo, who worked with Brendon Nolan on the beautification of the area.

“Nolan certainly came up with the tui design, which was adapted to make the various other smaller articles, but Don was also involved in creating these.”

She says the Council has moved decisively to remove the tui to show sensitivity and respect to Brendan Nolan’s victims.

“We believe ratepayers would feel it was a step too far to eliminate every single item associated with Nolan, especially as they were jointly created by another local artist who shouldn’t be penalised for his association with Nolan,” says Ms Rowan.

(The Kapiti Coast District Council paid Nolan $20,000 to make the 4.5 metre-high metal tui sculpture about five years ago to mark the entrance to Paraparaumu Beach )