Students, family members and staff attended the opening and blessing of a new community-built nature play area at Our Lady of Lourdes Dardanup recently.

The school surveyed students, teachers and parents to find out what they would like included in the new area, and a parent with the relevant skills designed the space based on the survey feedback.

The construction that followed utilised mostly donated materials, with labour provided through community busy bees. The initiative was coordinated with the support of the school board, P&F and a parent who took on the role of project manager.

Over three build stages, features including a dry creek bed with a bridge, log and rope climbing areas, an obstacle course of tyres, a tunnel, and shaded stage/deck areas were constructed; the students also contributed hand-painted pickets for the fencing.

The blessing ceremony was led by Parish Priest, Fr Wayne Bendotti, after which a ribbon was cut to open the play area and the students were free to test it out.

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