Tahuna Normal Intermediate School unveiled its new covered sports turf yesterday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a series of sports games after years of anticipation for and delays to the structure’s construction.
The new facility however, was "worth the wait".
Deputy principal Roddy Scoles said the process for getting the structure installed predated Covid-19 and the current principal.
"Prior to the principal here now and prior to Covid, we were looking at other facilities in the North Island to see what theirs [were like] and we got the ball rolling ... however Covid-19 just delayed so many things."
Eventually, the company responsible for the construction worked through its list of jobs and got to building the turf.
During the opening ceremony, former principal Tony Hunter was invited to open the turf after he hatched the original idea.
Current principal Simon Clarke said the old saying went "good things came to those who wait".
"We have waited and now we have a great thing."
Mr Clarke announced the name for the new covered turf would be "Toroa".
To celebrate the opening, there was a sausage sizzle and pupils went head to head with their teachers in games of basketball and netball.
