City Care Contributes Outdoor Classroom
Work has begun on an "outdoor classroom" learning area at Gordon Carmichael Reserve in Bethlehem. The new facility is being built by City Care as part of their contribution to the City Partnership Programme.
Construction is due to be complete by the end of February, coinciding with the launch of a "Learning Through Discovery" programme funded by the Ministry of Education and managed by Tauranga City Council and the Marine Watch Trust.
The programme provides full day discovery experiences for Year 5-8 students, and the outdoor classroom at Gordon Carmichael Reserve will be used for the wetland strand of the programme.
The outdoor classroom will be a landscaped amphitheatre with seating for students and visitors in a central hub area adjacent to the intersection of Carmichael Road and Westmorland Rise. Walkways and disabled access will lead to a timber platform providing easy access to the wetland area. Students will gather in the classroom to learn about man-made and natural environments and then undertake practical exercises such as water quality testing.
The outdoor classroom is part of the transformation of Gordon Carmichael Reserve into a premier wetland area.
The development of the 60 hectare stormwater reserve began in 2002 with the formation of stormwater ponds at the northern and southern end of the reserve.
More than two kilometres of walkways now wind through the wetlands including 230 metres of boardwalk lined with native plants. These walkways provide excellent walking and cycling links between Bethlehem, Brookfield and Bellevue.
Toilets and a parking area have recently been installed, with a children's playground, additional walkways and interpretive signage forming the vision for the next stages of the development. A large area of open space will be maintained immediately east of the hub.
City Care spokesperson and Tauranga Branch Manager, Kees Swanink, said the company was proud to be able to provide this new recreational and learning facility.
"Providing services to over 1.9 million people and with around 1,000 employees, our business touches many communities throughout the country. We're proud that a significant component of our day-to-day work is providing positive environmental and social benefits for the communities that we operate in. It makes sense for us to be directly involved in projects that add value to the infrastructure of Tauranga city in this way."
Tauranga City Council Team Manager, City Parks, Steve Webb, said, "the outdoor classroom would not only be a valuable asset for students on the discovery programme, but would be a nice place for visitors to relax, have a picnic and just enjoy a pristine wetland environment in the middle of the city."
