As the first match of the DHL New Zealand Lions Series 2017 approaches, schools across the Whangarei District are getting excited about their work being showcased on Whangarei’s Fan Trail.
Council is working with Creative Northland to develop a fun and festive atmosphere for the thousands of rugby fans who will be flocking to Whangarei’s Toll Stadium on Saturday 3 June.
The fan trail will start at the Cameron Street Laneway in the CBD and take in the Town Basin and the Hatea Loop along the way to Toll Stadium.
“We have a great facility and even at night the area is a beautiful, we want our fans and visitors to be able to soak up the atmosphere on the way,” said Whangarei Mayor, Sheryl Mai.
“We want the whole community to get involved in the day including our tamariki so Whangarei primary schools were invited to collectively create around 50 “fans” to mark the Fan Trail,” she said.
The art project was inspired by Ruakaka School and St Francis Xavier Catholic School who both have cut out pupils at their entrances.
The schools will be given the materials and a template of colours related to the rugby teams involved in the series and then they have free rein to create some colourful “fans”. The fans will be erected on the walk late May in time for the match on 3 June.
Hora Hora School Room 11 teacher Katie Barry says her class are really excited to be part of the project and so are the kids. “It’s great to involve children in community projects to get them involved in sport and widen their knowledge of the world. It really is great for them to participate in arts in the community.”