Kids use petition in bid to save aviary

St John's Hill School students gathered at Virginia Lake aviary on Friday to draw the birds. Pictured from left in the front row are: Nadeem Wali, Jack Johnson, Ashlea Hale, Hazel Maguire, and Phoebe Bell. In the back row are Victor Xie and Lachlan Browne. Photo/Bevan Conley

A petition to keep funding for the Virginia Lake aviary has gathered about 600 signatures thanks to a 9-year-old boy who convinced his schoolmates to take action.

Jack Johnson saw a story in the Chronicle about the aviary and took a clipping into his class at St Johns Hill School and explained it to the rest of the children, who teacher Jan Pickett said were "horrified".

"He was really distraught," she said.

Wanganui District Council was deliberating whether or not to withdraw funding for the aviary after cutting $35,000 from its 2014/15 budget.

Ms Pickett's class had a discussion about what could be done for the aviary, ruling out fundraising as it would not be sustainable, and writing letters because it would only be from a small group of children.

Two boys in the class put together the petition, and students had been taking it around town and to friends and family to sign. The petition was also posted at the aviary.

Ms Pickett said there were about 300 signatures from the school, and 300 more from members of the public.

"This will be part of their memories as kids," she said.

The students came to the aviary to draw pictures of the birds on Friday and spread the word.

"It's to record the experience in the aviary and art experience as well."

Jack said they didn't come to the aviary often, so it was special when they did.

"I love to come here," he said.

"I like the birds. Sometimes the really friendly grey and white ones come up and sit by me and I pat them."

Ms Pickett said the petition was teaching the children they can effect change.

"Apathy's easy," she said. "This is empowering them."

They had been spreading the petition for about two-and-a-half weeks. It was available to sign on the St Johns Hill School website.

Wanganui district councillor Ray Stevens, who wants funding put back into council's Annual Plan, said the actions of Jack and his classmates was to be applauded.

"I've got a copy of the petition here (his service station) and already it's got over 200 signatures," Mr Stevens said.

"But the action these kids have taken makes me more determined to get the funding reinstated. And it would be a brave or foolish council that turned these kids down," he said.