Traditionally February and March can bring wet weather to Port Macquarie. On one such wet school morning last week, students and parents at Hastings Public School were grateful for the new footpath leading to the school gate.
For many years now, children have been forced to walk along wet, muddy grass to access the school entrance on Braemar Drive. But not any longer.
Over the summer holidays, a 132 metre concrete pathway was installed by council along Braemar Drive. It stretches from Moruya Drive to the school’s southern entrance.
The new footpath is a great improvement, and very much appreciated by school families.
Comments on the first day of operation were all positive, with some parents even saying it was fantastic.
The Hastings Public School Parents & Citizens Association has been campaigning for the footpath to be installed for several years now. Letters have been written to council since 2003, when the Bain and Stewart families were trying to get their kids to school safely.
Over the past eight years, the P&C have been relentless, campaigning to council for better and safer access to the school of nearly 500 students.
In a final effort, a delegation from the school council and P&C met with the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council Infrastructure Manager to discuss a proposal for a jointly funded project.
Contributions by the Hastings Public School P&C and the Department of Education accounted for nearly half of the total cost of the footpath construction.
Needless to say, the school community are grateful for their new acquisition.
