Kids take the bird battle to council

The kids from Room 3 make their stand, with Jack Johnson at the microphone supported by Xanthe Cohen (left), Hazel Maguire, Molly Deroles, Phoebe Bell and Messina Sua. Photo/Stuart Munro

The kids came, they spoke and they may well have conquered.

Pupils from Room 3 at St John's Hill School went to the Wanganui District Council yesterday to speak their minds at the draft annual plan hearings.

Straight to the point, the youngsters were there to urge the council to reinstate funding for the Virginia Lake aviary. This was their response to council officers suggesting cropping $35,000 from the budget.

The free-flight aviary, built by Wanganui Round Table, opened in 1979 and its design, allowing visitors up-close, walk-through access to the birds, was novel at the time. As well as trimming the budget, the officers suggested volunteers could lend a hand running the aviary.

But then 9-year-old Jack Johnson got his class involved and rustled up a petition.

At the time, Councillor Ray Stevens, a staunch opponent of the funding cut, said it "would be a brave or foolish council that turned these kids down".

Six students spoke to the mayor and councillors yesterday and Jack kicked things off by declaring they wanted the funding reinstated.

Others spoke of the aviary's popularity and said people would not stop there if they had to pay. People don't like paying for things that used to be free, was their argument. "If the aviary closes, these birds will be homeless," said another.

Mayor Annette Main accepted the petition and was impressed.

"Thank you for caring about our aviary and our community," Ms Main told the pupils.