Kids Own Playground celebrates birthday

Monday, November 15, 2004 5:00

Several hundred children and parents turned up to celebrate the Kids Own Playground's fifth birthday in Queen Elizabeth Park on Saturday.

The attraction was built in just five days in early November 1999 in a marathon community effort, which saw community volunteers working from dawn to dusk.

Saturday celebrations included a couple of big birthday cakes, a lolly scramble, entertainment from performers in the Wairarapa Idol contest and a playground hunt for 40 free tickets to the mini putt golf course.

Duncan Adair, playground co-ordinator and manager of the park's mini-putt, says the ongoing support for the playground has been tremendous. Fernridge School children have adopted it as their community project and most recently were seen there shovelling new bark. A Friends of the Park group have initiated several projects included providing extra seating and information boards.

Pictured at left is Mason Rawiri, 4, enjoying the show.