Taupo Primary School to receive free playground makeover 

Taupo Primary School has been announced as the first ever recipient of the $25,000 Mitre 10 MEGA Community Reno in partnership with 100% Lake Taupo Charitable Trust.
The project will see the junior playground area of the school completely refreshed to create a number of natural creative play environments.
“We’re so excited about this project,” says Taupo Primary School Principal, Cushla Seamer. “We are so grateful of the financial support from Mega Mitre 10 Taupo and 100% Charitable Trust who will help make our dream a reality.”

The makeover will see large areas of concrete removed and replaced with gardens, a tunnel, an obstacle course, a water play area and planted gardens. Each classroom in the junior school area will have a planter box, complete with seating, that they can use to plant whatever they like.
“Taupo Primary works alongside Kids Greening Taupo and our junior school have a Kaitiaki o te Whenua programme which encourages the children to engage with the environment on many levels,” said Ms Seamer. “The planter boxes will be a huge asset as part of this programme.”
The makeover will take place over 19 and 20 March, with an army of volunteers to work alongside specialist tradespeople to complete the transformation.
Mitre 10 MEGA Taupo will provide the bulk of the materials required for the project, and 100% Lake Taupo Charitable Trust will cover specialised labour and other cash costs.
“We’re now on the hunt for some wider community support for the project, and hope that there may be some people out there who can help by donating logs, large rocks or garden supplies that we can use,” said Project Manager, Mike Darvill. “We’ll also need to excavate and remove a large volume of concrete before we can begin so if anyone is keen to assist us with that I’d love to hear from them!”
Mr Darvill has already approached a number of local builders and tradespeople in Taupo who have volunteered their time and expertise to assist in the project.
“It’s a big project for a weekend, but we’re confident that we can achieve it and create a really special place for our children,” said Ms Seamer.
If anyone would like to assist or donate products/services for the makeover, they can contact Cushla Seamer at Taupo Primary School.