After hard work and dedication, pupils of Grantlea Downs School have almost finished their sensory footpath art project.
The sensory footpath consists of two footpaths on the school grounds that are made from reused materials — such as shells, wood and old car tyres — that help create different textures.
Grantlea Downs School creative organiser Penni Naylor said they started working on the project in term two and the first section of the path was completed in term three.
‘‘It has taken a little while due to Covid-19 and the weather but we will finish the footpath at the end of this month.’’
Miss Naylor said she had more than 130 pupils from year 5 to year 8 helping create the footpath.
‘‘The project gives kids a sense of ownership and appreciation, and pride of the school and the work they have done.’’
The project was being funded by the Ministry of Education original creative fund which the school applied for last year.
They needed an art project so they came up with the idea of the sensory footpath, which was inspired by the Te Aitarakihi stream that runs behind the school.
‘‘We were doing things with the stream so we decided to do an art project connecting to that as we try to get it back tolife as it has been unkempt over the years,’’ Miss Naylor said.
Along with the sensory footpath they also have sculptures of nature, a sensory garden with textural plants and a mural depicting the stream and the school values.
‘‘The project is helping empower children and help them find their own artistic talents with hands on work as well as encouraging them to upcycle and find art in anything,’’ she said.
On the first section of the path, parents and the community were invited to come and help out.
They have had generous donations from the community of materials including bluestone and sliced limestone.
They were also assembling a bird bath with a stand — the bird bath was made from recycled glass from old Telecom phone booths, and the stand was made from recycled limestone from St Mary’s Church.
Grantlea Downs School creative arts project coordinator Raelyn Guise said they have had students involved with the planning and execution of the project.
‘‘We wanted the protect to echo the conservation of the stream and the future plan involves building on it and extending the sensory footpath.’’
They aimed to celebrate the completion of the path on December 2.
