Kaniere ‘education lodge’ to mark new steps on Coast

Press, 15 April 1978, Page 22

Kaniere ‘education lodge’ to mark new steps on Coast

This new ‘‘outdoor education” lodge will be built this year at Lake Kaniere — open to any youth organisation or school. Schools in Canterbury, and a bus company handling pupils’ tours, have indicated interest, according to the Lake Kaniere Trust, the co-operative group behind the scheme. The lodge will be at the southern end of the lake, 100 m from the road and sheltered in the bush.

The idea for this lodge began after the arrival on the West Coast three years ago of Mr B. R. Hensen as principal of the Hokitika Primary School. He was soon looking for

a site for outdoor education, using a school “prefab,” because it was expected that his two top forms would be lost to the high school in about two years.

Mr Hansen heard that the principal of the Westland High School, Hokitika, (Mr G. Ridley) had a similar idea.

By coincidence, both had chosen the same area, so they joined forces. A trust was set up, with representatives of secondary and primary schools and other interested people.

Other trust members include the chairman (Mr R. M. Strong), Jim Strang, a mountaineer with Himalayan experience, and George Ridley, a former member of the Otago Youth Adventure Trust, which administers a lodge at Tautuku. The Kaniere trust’s area extends from Kumara to Ross — deliberately confined to enable the executive to hold regular meetings, said Mr Strong. The specific object was to provide a lodge for the children of Westland, in particular • for schools south of the Taramakau River. It tvould be used

for nature study, recrea-/ tion, and for the important aspect of emotional development.

Children had to learn how to work for, and with, each other. Development of the total person was paramount, said Mr Hansen.

School classes would be able to use the lodge for up to a week at a time and even infant classes could make day trips there. Otherwise, it would be available to parents of the district and organisations.

It was the first such development on the West Coast, said Mr Hansen. “It will do wonders over here, but we have to educate the public to accept this sort of thing. No longer can education be confined within a classroom’s four walls. The lodge will be a valuable asset in the making of good citizens, able to evaluate the area’s national assets. It will give opportunity for the introduction of new activities that could be pursued after school days have ended,” he said.

“Co-operation has been met at all Government levels; the vital need is convincing the public,”

said Mr Hansen. He said he hoped that an outdoor education officer could be appointed for the lodge; possibly a school staff member with part-time teaching duties. The building would be in a scenic ' reserve, said Mr Strong, and the trust was working closely with Government departments. The lodge, will have three levels. Above the toilet facilities will be a large common room, kitchen and dining amenities. A mezzanine floor at the rear will provide sleeping accomodation for 32 children and eight adults. Already, $lO,OOO had been received through the high school pupils and staff, and the Lions Club, said Mr Strong. Another $4OOO might come from the balance of the local combined school centenary late last year. A loan has been arranged to meet the remaining total estimated cost, $38,000, but it is hoped to ciear the debt during construction this year.

This would enable the lodge to be self-sufficient, with users meeting the cost of maintenance, said Mr Strong.