Hāwea’s new bike park/pump track was opened on 9 October 2023 to the great delight of the local tamariki.
Hāwea Flat School has witnessed significant growth in the past few years, with its student roll reaching 320 in 2023. To accommodate the increasing numbers, the school had to construct eight additional classrooms. This expansion, however, meant removing the original bike park that was on the school grounds - a space not only valued by the school but also frequented by the local community after school hours.
Responding to this change, the Hāwea Community Association investigated installing another bike park/pump track in Hāwea Flat at Long Grass Place, but it was decided that keeping the track at the school site would be most beneficial for the community.
Following consultation with over 60 local families and track-building firm Dirt Dynamics, the new bike park includes one sealed and two dirt pump tracks to cater to biking enthusiasts of all levels. CLT provided $48,000 towards the building of the 150m sealed pump track and the overall landscaping of the area.
While the bike park is a great recreational asset, it also provides learning opportunities for the community. Hāwea Flat School already collaborates with the Good to go BikeReady Cycle skills training programme and is looking into further opportunities with Wānaka Whānau – WORD and Bike Squad to name a few.
The Hāwea Flat School bike park project exemplifies community resilience and adaptability. It reflects a practical approach to change, ensuring that a valued communal space endures even in the face of uncertainties.
