Offenders have been hard at work making
the go kart track safe for young enthusiasts
The town of Motueka has a long-standing relationship with Corrections spanning many years. With summer on its way, residents will be thankful for offenders’ hard work on two popular attractions – the go kart and BMX track, and the Inlet Walkway.
One of the main users of the go kart track is Kool Kids, an organisation that involves kids in fun and constructive activities in a casual environment. Go karting is a popular weekend activity for the group.
Community work offenders did much of the initial ground work to build the track nearly ten years ago. Since then their ongoing involvement has been required to ensure the tracks are safe to use.
This includes moving truckloads of dirt to elevate the corners and offset erosion, and laying down tyres around the boundary. Offenders have also spent a lot of time restoring the trailer that houses the largest of the four go karts belonging to the track.Community volunteer and Kool Kids co-ordinator, Leon Smits, who also runs other after school programmes in the area, has been blown away with the work done by offenders.
“The support we’ve had from the community work offenders has been fantastic,” he says.
“It’s been something they have been keen to be involved in right from the start because many of them have kids themselves. Their input has been invaluable in keeping the track safe for the kids to use.”
CW Supervisor Daren Morris and Senior CW Supervisor Michelle Marnane
with offenders planting native trees along the Inlet Walkway.
Community work parties have also been busy completing the Inlet Walkway, a circular walking track around Motueka’s inner tidal estuary. As well as help build and lay the track, the offenders have cleared gorse and planted native trees. While the main walkway is now complete, they will continue to be involved in the upkeep of the pathways.
The Keep Motueka Beautiful Society has been using offenders on community work for a number of years now, and Motueka Community Board Chair, Cliff Satherley, says the relationship has been beneficial for everyone involved.
“Their work has been exceptional; we’ve never had any problems with them or any complaints from the workers themselves – they just turn up and do the job,” he says.
“It’s meaningful for the workers to be able to see the fruit of their labours. They’ve put in a lot of hours, so let’s hope that in a few years when the trees have come up they will feel a real sense of pride in their involvement.”
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Community Works is published quarterly by the Department of Corrections. Contact details for Community Probation & Psychological Services can be found here or by looking under C for Corrections in the Government listings of the Telecom White Pages.
ISSN 1178-1327