Ruatōria community celebrated the official opening of sports courts

Students make circles on Ngata Memorial College’s new sports courts which were blessed by Nanny Connie Ferris earlier this week. Pictures supplied

The Ruatōria community celebrated the official opening of the Ngata Memorial College sports courts this week.

The facility was opened on Tuesday with a blessing from Nanny Connie Ferris.

“She put the tamariki from Ngata Memorial College and TKKM o Te Waiū o Ngāti Porou into circles and asked them to hold hands so that all three courts were blessed simultaneously,” college principal Peter Heron said.

“We followed this up with combined staff teams playing combined student teams at lawn bowls, basketball and netball.

“I would like to thank the following three trusts who supported us with the refurbishment of our courts — Trust Tairāwhiti, The Eastern and Central Community Trust and The Lion Foundation.

“Having a facility like this in the centre of the East Coast is of huge benefit to the whole community and will allow large tournaments and events to be held.”

Trust Tairāwhiti communities general manager Audine Grace-Kutia said the trust provided Ngata Memorial College with $164,000 to complete upgrades and resurfacing of their netball/tennis and basketball courts.

“The college caters to primary, intermediate, and secondary school students from the catchment area between Tokomaru Bay and Potaka.

“The court facilities are also regularly used by the wider community, including for the annual Pa Wars, Future Ferns, marae netball and art exhibitions.”