Lincoln pupils first to ride new Hanmer Springs water slides

Sixty pupils from Lincoln Primary School were first to ride two high-tech hydro slides at Hanmer Springs this morning.

The Violet Vortex and Wiau Winder opened this morning following a $3.2 million revamp at the North Canterbury waterpark.

After 25 years, Hanmer officially retired its green and brown slides, which it claims saw over 17 million Kiwis slide down them since opening in 1998.

The park has moved on to bigger, brighter things, replacing them with two, new illuminated hydro slides painted violet and orange.

When the slides officially opened this morning, the year 3 and 4 students from Lincoln were first in line.

Class Miro’s extraordinary 60-second video won Hanmer Springs’ competition, which invited primary schools around the region to submit their most remarkable marble run.

“While we received some phenomenal entries, with impressive engineering skills, Lincoln Primary School’s entry stood out for its genuine teamwork, creativity and storytelling,” said Hanmer Springs general manager Graeme Abbot.

“Our team is so excited to welcome class Miro as the first official sliders.”

Teacher Samara Brown said the school’s extra-long ball slide grew to extraordinary lengths, after they “gave each student an opportunity to plan and design the ball run”, with parents and pupils contributing spare pipe and guttering to the project.

“We are so immensely proud of the students,” she said, calling it an “amazing way to start our last term of the school year!”

Before the long slide into the summer holidays, when the parks are expected to be at their busiest, the local schools and community have been invited to try out the new slides for themselves.

After an opening ceremony, the slides will be open to the public from 10am. Residents will have free entry to the pools on October 11 and October 12 with a ratepayers' card.

By Thomas Bywater