Wairakei School Makeover

Wairakei School lost their sports court during the build of new learning spaces – part of the Christchurch Schools Rebuild (CSR) staged upgrade. School Principal, Shane, decided to use their remaining SIP funding to reinstate the sports court and resurface a muddy area with SmartGrass™. Well used and very muddy and dirty, the school’s grass area wasn’t inviting and the children didn’t use it. The solution Our goal was not just to provide a solution but to transform this space into something that would benefit the students and the school community as a whole. The SmartGrass installation team created a safety barrier to prevent the excited students from getting too close to machinery and any potential hazards. The kids would watch and everyone was counting down the days until it was ready. Once complete the students were presented with their new sports court and grass area by the Canterbury Rams. It’s become a gymnastics area and new sports programmes have been created to make the best use of the new outdoor space. Visiting Associate Minister of Education, Jan Tinetti, commented that the new space was very impressive. Now, the once-muddy area is a hub of activity. Students use it for basketball games, gymnastics practice, and even for school assemblies and dancing sessions. It’s become a space that fosters not just physical activity but also creativity and social interaction. This was about making the best use of the school’s resources. With SmartGrass, the maintenance has become a breeze. No more mud to deal with, the grass looks lush and green and the sports area in fully used all year round.