After spending the last 5 weeks of Term 1 playing on hard surfaces and a smaller school field, we are thrilled that our students can now enjoy the newly completed playground. What typically takes 8 years for similar projects was completed in just 12 months, from the introduction of initial plans, feedback from Year 1-8 students, to the rendering of images showcasing what was to come, all culminating in the opening during Grandparents' Day on 10 April 2025.

This playground project has been a major milestone for our school, with a total cost of $530,000. Our Board of Trustees (BOT) played an essential role in securing the necessary funds, and we are deeply grateful for the generous contributions of $307,000 from various community organisations, including:

Ngatea Primary School community and the Kids First Committee, Lottery Grants Board, Grassroots Trust, Akarana Community Trust, Blue Sky Community Trust and the Dragon Community Trust.

A special thank you is extended to Shannon Burke and Nicky Irving, who dedicated countless hours managing this project from start to finish, and to Andrew Williams of Williams Engineering, whose expertise guided the clearing of the site and laying the groundwork for the playground.

While the project involved significant investment, it was necessary as the previous playground no longer met modern health and safety regulations. For more details on this, please refer to the article "Playground: Thank You for Your Support.”

The Blessing of the Project - and a Play!

Normie Anderson, a Board member, conducted an early morning blessing at sunrise to mark the start of the project, and again at the completion, coinciding with the official opening of the playground. All students were given the chance to explore the playground prior to the official ceremony, allowing them to enjoy the space without the rush of the official event.

The Official Opening Ceremony

As part of our Grandparents' Day celebration, the playground was officially opened at 2:15 p.m. on Thursday, 10 April 2025. Normie Anderson led a mihi, with support from school cultural leaders Mia and Brody, to welcome the community and special guests including Len and Lucy Hay (former Principal and Deputy Principal) and Toby Adams (Mayor). The ribbon was cut by Donna Hoyle, a past Ngatea Primary student and co-owner of Playground Creations, officially opening the playground, a space where children can explore, create, and grow and that fosters physical activity, imagination, and community.

Fun Facts About Our New Playground

• 40 trailer loads of old equipment, bark, and soil were removed from the site

• 98 timber posts and 3,748 bolts were used to construct the playground

• 115 sqm of artificial turf was laid

• 225 meters of Novaflo drainage were laid

• 258 tonnes of drainage metal were brought on-site380m³ of bark was used to complete the project

• 1,035m² - The playground spans an impressive 1,035m², making it the largest installation ever completed by Playground Creations

• 1,420 volunteer hours were contributed by both the Playground Creations team and our dedicated community members.