North Canterbury News: July 02, 2020

OUR TOWN KAIAPOI
12 North Canterbury News, July 2, 2020
Pupils excited about new playground
By DAVID HILL
Kaiapoi Borough School pupils
hope to begin term four with a
new playground and swimmingpool
changing sheds.
The school’s board of trustees
has approved the replacement
of the senior playground and
the building of new changing
sheds for the pool as part of the
government’s schools’
investment package announced
last year, principal Murray
Overton says.
Kaiapoi Borough School was
allocated $228,000, with the
new playground likely to cost
$140,000 and the changing
sheds about $50,000.
The projects were chosen
from ideas put forward by the
pupils, with anew senior
playground at the top of the list,
Mr Overton says.
“The playground has needed
replacing for some time and it’s
something the students have
been asking for.
“We are grateful the money
has become available because
it’s aproject we wouldn’t be
able to do otherwise.
‘‘It’s such an exciting
opportunity to have anew
playground going in.”
The new playground will be
located next to the scooter
track, which was laid out last
year and is aunique feature for
the school.
The swimming pool will have
anew membrane filter system
fitted, and the new changing
sheds, which “will really finish
it off”.
The pool suffered damaged in
the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes,
so repairs and upgrades have
been ongoing over the last few
years.
Earthquake repairs and
building work have dominated
the school landscape in recent
years, with the final project —
the building of anew
technology block —tostart in
the next couple of months, Mr
Overton says.
“It’s areally big and exciting
project and we can’t wait to see
the end result.”
Upgrade ... Kaiapoi Borough
School principal Murray Overton
says his pupils are looking forward
to getting anew senior
playground.
PHOTO: DAVID HILL
KidsFest
returns
There is plentyofschool
holiday fun to be had in
Kaiapoiover the next two
weeks.
KidsFest is returning to
Kaiapoi. It will include the
great fairy hunt, faery face
painting, library fun, apool
party and adventures at Pines
Beach Hall.
The greatfairy hunt will be
held in the KaiapoiDomain
daily from Saturday, July 4, to
Sunday,July 19, 9am to 5pm.
Facepaintingwith the
faeries will also be available for
$5 per face on Tuesday, July 7,
Thursday, July 9, Tuesday, July
14, andWednesday, July 15, so
check out Beyond The Faerie
Tree on Facebook.
Oxford’s Pearson Park is also
hosting the great fairy hunt on
each day during KidsFest.
TheKaiapoi Library will host
anaturecraft evening on
Thursday, July 9, from 5.30pm
to 7pm, afamilyquiz night on
Thursday, July 16, from 7pm to
8.30pm,ayoung writers’
workshop on Wednesdayand
Friday,July 8and 10, from
10am to 12pm, and adaily
pirate mystery trail.
Apool party is in store at the
KaiapoiAquatic Centre on
Thursday, July 9, 1pm to 3pm.
PinesBeach Hall will host
wild adventuresfor ages 5to13
on Wednesday, July 15, from
9am to 3pm and friends in the
wild for ages 3to7on Thursday,
July 16, from 9.30amto12pm.