Bike track is boys’ legacy to school
Children can now tear around O¯ piki School on a new bike track – a project dreamed up by three pupils.
The new track opened on Monday and the school’s pupils broke it in by racing around it.
Because O¯ piki falls in Horowhenua District Council’s boundary, rather than Palmerston North City Council, it didn’t qualify for funding for the Bikes in Schools programme.
Three boys who finished at the school last year – Harry Wells, Liam O’connor and Finn O’brien – came up with the idea and it took a year to complete.
Principal Tracey Gurney said the track was the boys’ legacy.
‘‘The boys have done a lot of research,’’ she said.
‘‘They have gone to schools in Palmerston North, interviewed the schools and some of the kids who have had Bikes in Schools done for them.
‘‘They have done two or three presentations to the board of trustees and gone through the whole thing, the cost, the benefit to kids, the benefit to the community, models of it.’’
Gurney said the track was a way of promoting physical health and wellbeing, and encouraged children to be active.
The track can also be used by the community after school and during holidays.
Jamie Goodlass, of Goodlass Excavation, built the track for nothing and the school board covered the rest of the costs.
Neighbouring farmer Clive Akers donated a small strip of land for the track, too.
Bikes were donated to the school and the O¯ piki playgroup donated helmets.
Finn, 12, and Harry, 13, returned for the opening and were the first to ride the new track, along with Goodlass.
‘‘It started off as a passion project and we just got more and more into it and it came together,’’ said Finn, who is now at Feilding High School.
Harry is now at Whanganui Collegiate School, and was excited to see the track opened.