LEVIN ADVENTURE PARK
Trust Director: Collis Blake
Tel: 06 368 6185
Mob: 025 461 007
Fax: 06 368 8368
Email: collis.blake@xtra.co.nz
Address: 701 S.H. 57
R.D. 1 LEVIN
Project Manager: Susan Malaya
Tel: 06 354 1234
Email: susan.maiava@xtra.co.nz
Address: 23 Elmira Avenue
PALMERSTON NORTH
Dear Friends and Supporters
A year has passed since we started building at the Adventure Park, and it's time to bring you up to date. It has been a very busy year for the Trustees, but a very gratifying one with the progress we have made and the enthusiasm and help we have had from so many people.
The first to be built was the toilet block, with facilities to cope with busloads of passengers, as well as for the disabled and babies. This was closely followed by the Kiosk, with a sink, free boiling water and microwave, soft drink dispenser and tables and chairs. The golf challenge will be administered from here later in the year.
The Senior Wire Rope Challenge and the Beach Volley Ball were next, the sand also being used by small children for making sand castles! This was closely followed by the babies enclosure with swings, slide, fun village and seesaw, then the great Intermediate Climbing Challenge. On to the Flying Foxes, the two side by side being really popular. The thirteen swings are constantly in use, as is the trampoline. Four swings for the disabled are being made now.
More recently we have put two tumbling drums in a very neat little house designed to match the two double barbecue shelters — these were a great success over the summer. The giant chess set is ready, but we are waiting until we have a full time caretaker before we put it out. A junior skate board ramp for beginners, young blade and board skaters and bike riders is very good.
Nearly finished construction is a climbing structure for three, four and five-years-olds, so that will definitely keep them happy. This structure also has ramps, handrails and play equipment especially designed for the disabled. Also ready to be installed is another trampoline, a maypole and another seesaw.
Last week we put soft safety matting right through the babies area, and matting around the trampoline under the swings and on both sides of the tumbling drums. We have put in a high slide, and there will be more climbing nets this coming week.
Very soon we hope to start landscaping the area between the toilets and the kiosk with paving and trees. Also to go in are more trees in strategic shade positions and a low hedge enclosure around the chess. By spring we hope to have the golf Putting Challenge Open, and this will bring in a much needed source of income for a full-time caretaker.
The toilets are very well used, and are always very clean and fresh. The kiosk is used much more than we expected, for lunches, inside picnics in rough weather, and is hugely popular for children's birthday parties.
We are very grateful to our builders, Graham, Ross, Malcolm and the men who work with them for their willing work and co-operation. Les, our part-time caretaker, works beyond the call of duty. Fay and Daniel keep the toilets spotless. Susan is our designer and fundraiser, and we could not have made such great progress without her help. Barbara has good ideas and gives us lots of encouragement.
Community support has been tremendous, and we are most encouraged by your enthusiasm. Not only are local children and parents happy, but so many travellers enjoy the park too. At the weekends, in good weather, there can be up to 200 children and adults there at any one time. By next summer we will have more seats, gardens, drinking fountains and hopefully tar-sealed parking.
Thank you all, for without you generous input we could not have achieved our aim of giving pleasure to the people of Levin and travellers alike. Your assistance and encouragement has been outstanding and is very much appreciated.
Collis Blake
Trust Director
