Brockville Full Primary School has been the recipient of a new playground built by Mitre 10 Helping Hands as part of its national Project Playground initiative.
Principal Tania McDonald said the school had to demolish three playgrounds dating from the 1970s after a health and safety audit.
"We were left with just one junior playground and nothing for our seniors.
"Although we hold fundraisers like discos, which are supported by our school community, we’d have been saving for years to be able to get our senior students a playground."
The school had more than 155 pupils from several cultures and provided a safe and happy learning environment for a number of refugee children.
She hoped the playground would be another way of bringing the children together to embrace each other’s cultures and provide a safe space for them to express themselves.
"If we can use this playground to simply help our senior students and wider Dunedin community get into the great outdoors and bring a smile to their faces, then our job here is done. We’re just so grateful to be granted this new playground space for our tamariki."
Mitre 10 Mega Dunedin and Mitre 10 Mosgiel group chief executive Neil Finn-House said the installation was a team effort involving Mitre 10 Helping Hands, Playground People and Mitre 10 Mega Dunedin.
"Our team was delighted when we heard that Brockville Primary School had been chosen for a new Mitre 10 Helping Hands playground."
"I have enjoyed seeing it develop from the ground up and learning more about the school and its community, which has a real caring heart."
