Fairfield School christened its new bike track with a triathalon yesterday.
Principal Greg Lees said he felt a huge amount of satisfaction and pride watching the ribbon be cut for the new track.
The 800m-long track was three years in the making.
Mr Lees said the school board thought of making the track in 2022 as a way to celebrate Fairfield’s 150th anniversary.
He said all sorts of reasons — from Covid-19 restrictions to funding — put things on hold.
The track cost $120,000, with $30,000 contributions from Otago Community Trust and Bike On NZ.
The rest of the money came from fundraising and 16 different community organisations that sponsored different features to be built into the track.
Mr Lees said it was “a real community effort” to bring the track together involving many working bees and parents getting their hands dirty.
One parent, Scott Cain, was the driving force behind the track.
He was there late at night laying the drain around the track and making features like the cattle stop in his garage.
“Without him, we would not have had [the track],” Mr Lees said.
The track had become a destination feature for the Fairfield community and locals were making use of it on the weekends.
Pupils at Fairfield School have also been making good use of the track.
The number of children biking to school has recentlyjumped from 20 to 120.
mark.john@odt.co.nz
