Bike track ticked off wishlist at Te Matai School

Benjamin Whaanga, Ivy Nathan and Kaiora Bidois-Maassen, of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Matai, watch Peter Boomen as he works on the school’s new cycle track.

It’s something they have been waiting for for over four years - and now they have it.

Last week, “godsend” Peter Boomen built a cycle track in the grounds of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Matai, having called in a few favours and getting the help of local businesses.

The school was gifted 15 bikes thanks to a Sport Bay of Plenty initiative in 2021. Students had been surveyed and it found they wanted to ride bikes on a track at the school and use local cycle tracks, but many didn’t have bikes at all or had bikes that were not in good condition.

Tumuaki (principal) Angie Wihapi says a cycle track had been on the school’s wishlist for even longer.

“We started exploring how to do it ourselves. We had no idea. We knew what we wanted it to look like, and kind of knew we would need a bobcat, but didn’t know what materials we’d use.”

There had also been the small matter of finding the money to build the track.

Out of the blue Peter, who has helped encourage cycling at Te Puke Primary School, has built a pump track alongside the Te Ara Kahikatea Pathway, and also used to run a bike school in Taupō, visited the school.

“Peter came in and he knew people, plus he had the experience,” says Angie.

“Somehow he knew we had bikes, so he came in to have a nosy around, have a look and then while he was here, we realised he knew how to do a bike track.”

Angie thinks Peter has saved the school thousands of dollars.

“I had said to the board ‘it sounds like it might be up to $20,000′.”

Other things on the wishlist had been a camping area and fire pit - and both of those have been built. The new cycle track is alongside the camping area.

While the bikes had been well used, until last week there was no purpose-built place to ride them.

“[Students] were getting tired of riding bikes through the grass and getting sore legs,” says Angie.

She says the school is extremely grateful to Peter, describing him as a “godsend”.

“Without him, we probably would not have got it done this year.”

Peter says he now intends to build some wooden ramps to be included in the track.

He says Te Puke Carrying, Ben Hamilton and Layne Contracting all helped with the materials and equipment needed to construct the track.