Post by Dave Homewood on Feb 18, 2007 21:06:13 GMT 12
From the Waikato Times
www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/3964276a6579.html
Schools chip in on massive boardwalk
Waikato Times | Saturday, 17 February 2007
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) starts airlifting the first sections of a new boardwalk on to the summit ridges of Mt Pirongia next week.
The boardwalk –- one of the longest in New Zealand –- was built by eight Waikato schools in prefabricated sections last year.
One hundred and twenty sections were trucked to John Arthur's farm on the slopes of Pirongia last month, and now await the arrival of an RNZAF Iroquois helicopter, Geoff Chapple, the chief executive of the Te Araroa Trust, said.
The project is part of Te Araroa –- the Long Pathway –- a continuous 2920km tramping track from Cape Reinga to Bluff. The route follows the Waikato River to Hamilton then heads west to Pirongia and down the western slopes of the mountain to connect through to Waitomo.
Over the next month, volunteer teams were due to put in boardwalk foundations on the mountain, and the helicopter was to deliver the prefab sections.
The teams will have their work cut out for them with 800m of steps and decking, and more than 20 tonnes of material to bolt into place.
Te Araroa's construction manager Noel Sandford said the Year 12 carpentry students who built prefab units last year had helped Te Araroa Waikato Trust cut its costs.
Students from Hamilton Boys' High School, Cambridge High, Church College, Hillcrest High, Huntly College, Ngaruawahia High, St Paul's Collegiate and Te Awamutu College built the units.
Te Araroa is being constructed by several regional charitable trusts which are pushing the tramping track through the country. They rely on volunteer work and donations.
Mr Sandford said he still needed two or three workers to help on the mountain next month.
He said they should preferably have handyman and building skills and would be part of the team airlifted to the summit at the beginning of each five-day week and would tramp out at the end of the week. Anyone interested should contact Mr Sandford on 027-693-4111.
www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/3964276a6579.html
Schools chip in on massive boardwalk
Waikato Times | Saturday, 17 February 2007
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) starts airlifting the first sections of a new boardwalk on to the summit ridges of Mt Pirongia next week.
The boardwalk –- one of the longest in New Zealand –- was built by eight Waikato schools in prefabricated sections last year.
One hundred and twenty sections were trucked to John Arthur's farm on the slopes of Pirongia last month, and now await the arrival of an RNZAF Iroquois helicopter, Geoff Chapple, the chief executive of the Te Araroa Trust, said.
The project is part of Te Araroa –- the Long Pathway –- a continuous 2920km tramping track from Cape Reinga to Bluff. The route follows the Waikato River to Hamilton then heads west to Pirongia and down the western slopes of the mountain to connect through to Waitomo.
Over the next month, volunteer teams were due to put in boardwalk foundations on the mountain, and the helicopter was to deliver the prefab sections.
The teams will have their work cut out for them with 800m of steps and decking, and more than 20 tonnes of material to bolt into place.
Te Araroa's construction manager Noel Sandford said the Year 12 carpentry students who built prefab units last year had helped Te Araroa Waikato Trust cut its costs.
Students from Hamilton Boys' High School, Cambridge High, Church College, Hillcrest High, Huntly College, Ngaruawahia High, St Paul's Collegiate and Te Awamutu College built the units.
Te Araroa is being constructed by several regional charitable trusts which are pushing the tramping track through the country. They rely on volunteer work and donations.
Mr Sandford said he still needed two or three workers to help on the mountain next month.
He said they should preferably have handyman and building skills and would be part of the team airlifted to the summit at the beginning of each five-day week and would tramp out at the end of the week. Anyone interested should contact Mr Sandford on 027-693-4111.
