When the Gateway Sculpture rises, at the turn off to Mapua from the Coastal Highway/Te Mamaku Drive, children from the village school will likely recognise aspects of their own drawing and design work, as it is from these drawings that the sculpture has evolved. 

The Ruby Coast Initiative Trust (RCIT) is now seeking the support of the local community and external grant organisations to fund the 'Mapua Gateway Sculpture'. The 'Gateway' will be centre stage within the regional conservation and wetland restoration at Dominion Flats and Higgs Reserve.

The children’s artwork has been used to create the fish ‘cut outs’ that will be the feature of this Sculpture (similar to the birds at the Tasman Sculpture) and there are plans for a panel to be created that will show all of the artwork created by pupils of Mapua School as part of this community project (the Mapua School of fish!). We are inviting you to also be part of the artistic, educational and cultural enrichment of our coastal communities. 

With student input involved the RCIT are understandably hoping that local families and residents will be financially supportive of this 'Gateway Sculpture', and provide here a link through which donations can be made (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc5PZyC3bL1u6Djq-g22aIEReREnifSHtaz9CM112X40uKFdQ/viewform?c=0&w=1). Alongside this the RCIT also provide a link here to their principal document for potential donors - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ge0jik8n43msfvh/Sponsor%20Information%20Gateways%20Project%20Mapua%20small.pdf?dl=0 . For more information about the Trust and its work visit https://www.rcit.co.nz  . 

We, the school, are keen also to see the sculpture erected as a realisation of our students creative and artistic endeavours.