3 newspaper clippings:
1. Playground proposal pleases Mayor
The Chronicle 14 February 2001
Horowhenua Mayor Tom Robinson said he was delighted and extremely grateful to local farmer and businessman Collis Blake who wants to turn the waste-ground at the old Levin School into a park.
"Council is totally behind the philanthropic initiatives of Collis to turn this valuable piece of real estate into a park that will bring not only pleasure to every child and parent in Horowhenua but also to the thousands of cars who pass the spot every day," he said.
"We conducted market research in Wellington a little over a year ago and there was no doubt that for parents, a place for the children to play was very high up on their list on why they would stop in a particular town."
At a meeting of the Horowhenua District Council last week unanimous support was given to the concept of a children's park being built on the land by a local interest group and of the concept of the arrangement being via a lease on the land.
"The official owners of the land are the Office of Treaty Settlements and a lease on the land is a very satisfactory way of making the land very attractive to visitors and ideals alike whilst at the same time protecting the rights of the long term claimants to the land itself," he said.
"Everyone in Horowhenua will be a winner."
2. Adventure Playground planned for school site February 2001
Horowhenua Mail 22 February 2001
The draft plan for the site was presented which includes mini-golf, and a kiosk, which in turn should generate income to pay a caretaker. It also included more parking, an area for buses to turn around, an enclosed play area for toddlers, through to an area for skaters, picnic areas, gas barbecues, hot water stations as well as a large playing field area.
It was explained the park concept was in fact a sophisticated one and the draft would be made available to the public in a few weeks time.
"The emphasis of the Levin Adventure Park project is on adventure. We haven't got down to specifics yet but it definitely won't just be swings and slides," Mrs Blake said.
She said the proposal is to separate the park into three sections for pre-schoolers, primary-aged children and teenagers. The pre-schoolers section would be an enclosed area.
There are also plans to have, for example, a flying fox, rope bridges and a trampoline for the teenagers.
3. Levin School Site
Weekend Chronicle17 February 2001
Collis Blake's proposal to turn the old Levin School site into an adventure park for the youngsters is not a new one. This paper, and various individuals at different times, have all expressed a similar view.
The difference, however, is that Mr Blake has, literally, put his money where his mouth is.
He and his wife have leased the school site for a period of five years and are now calling on the community to support it.
He says he is not so much looking for cash, but more for goods and services in kind.
There is ample precedent for this type of venture to succeed. Wanganui's Kowhai Park has been built, extended and upgraded over the years largely by exactly this type of effort. Service clubs and individual businesses have donated time, building Materials and labour to develop what is a very popular children's park.
Mr Blake needs the community's support. The hardest part is done with the securing of the lease.
It behoves us all who have complained about the old school site to now offer Collis Blake the support he needs.