Fill the Gaps!
What is our vision for the future?
Eastbourne can be a place where we tamariki can move around freely and independently through friendly spaces, allowing us to hang out and explore.
Who are we?
We are the Enviroleaders from Muritai School, a primary and intermediate school in Eastbourne. We have been thinking about how to improve our environment, and we have come up with this request to fill the gaps in the share path. This request is supported by our enviroschools lead teacher Ms Lovell and our principal Mr Davenport.
We asked Muritai School tamariki about where they lived and how they travelled, and heard from 325 tamariki. We found most live between Days Bay and Muritai, within 3 km of school. We also found nearly two thirds (62.5%) walked, biked or scooted to school at least once in March this year.
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What are we asking for?
Eastbourne and the Eastern Bays wrap around the Wellington Harbour, with the Muritai School and the wider community squeezed between the forested hills and the coast. Because of this squeezed layout, travel is pretty simple. People move around the harbour either North towards the Hutt or South towards the bus barn. It’s easy for us tamariki to get around — where there is a separated path.
We’re lucky to have some awesome shared paths already — like the promenade, the paths on either side of the RSA, the Windy Point share path, and the new Tupua Horo Nuku path being built connecting Sunshine Bay to Point Howard and the Hutt River.
However, even when the Tupua Horo Nuku path is built there will still be three gaps that prevent the share path from fully connecting all the way around the harbour. The three gaps are a barrier to our travel. We’re asking for these gaps to be filled, creating a continuous shared path all the way all the way from Point Howard to Muritai South, so tamariki can move around Eastbourne and the Bays freely and independently.
Where are the three gaps that we want filled?
The three gaps are the Days Bay Gap, the School Gap and the Muritai Gap. The shared path could run alongside the harbour or through harbour-side parks (Bishop Park), avoiding houses and driveways and having to cross roads.
Table 1. The three gaps to fill
| Days Bay Gap | School Gap | Muritai Gap | |
| Location | From Sunshine Bay at petrol station in the north round to the Windy Point Tupua Horo Nuku section in the south. In particular between Sunshine Bay and Days Bay Wharf where there is no footpath on the harbour side. | From the Windy Point Tupua Horo Nuku section in the north to the RSA in the south.In particular between Rona Wharf and the 15 km slow zone next to the RSA. |
From Miro Street to Kauri Street. |
| Approximate distance | 1 km | 850 m | 200 m |
| Important places this will connect up | Eastern Bays Whiorau Reserve Wellesley College Days Bay Wharf Days Bay Beach Days Bay Pavillion Williams Park Days Bay Playcentre East Harbour Regional Park track entrances Days Bay Cafes and Restaurants |
Bishop Park and Playground Eastbourne Pool Scout Hall Muritai Yacht Club Rona Wharf Eastbourne Plunket Village shops Dentist, doctor and pharmacy Muratai School RSA and sports fields |
Greenwood Park Bus Barn |
| Why it is important to fill? | Important because this connects up the Eastern Bays with Eastbourne.
Important because the northern end has no footpath at all. |
Important because this is around the school and village so lots of tamariki travel through here. | Important because lots of kids live around here. |
We notice that in the Muritai Gap people often travel on the road as if the share path continues, staying close to the seawall where the road is smooth. But although the road is wide, sometimes cars drive or park beside the seawall making things trickier for us. This gap might be the easiest to fill.
Map 1. The three gaps (blue) and our school (yellow).
We want to help!
We have an idea that to fill gaps in the shared path could have a zooplankton theme using painted stencils of zooplankton along the route kids take to school. We have been inspired by the designs painted around the schools in Wainuiomata.
We’d love to help with designing the zooplankton, creating the stencils, and painting. We could organise design competitions, run fundraisers (sponsor a zooplankton), and support the share paths in any other way that’s needed.
We chose the zooplankton because they need to travel everyday, like us. These tiny sea creatures live in the deep water during the day to hide from predators. But at night, they all swim up to the surface to eat. Then before sunrise, they swim back down again. They also look really cool, and just like us they come in all kinds of shapes, sizes and styles. Zooplankton swim up and down the ocean each day, but when they want to move sideways, they’re carried by the currents. It’s kind of like us — we can get around, but where we go is often shaped by roads and traffic and adults. That’s why we need friendly shared paths, so we can move freely and independently.
Whether it’s walking, biking, or scooting, if we fill the gaps our daily travel can help us tamariki stay healthy, learn and grow, and connect with our community.
Travel survey results
Show of support from Muritai School Whanau
Lets Make It Easier and More Fun to Walk, Bike and Scoot!
We want to fill the missing gaps in our shared path, so tamariki can move freely from Point Howard all the way around our bays to Muritai School, the Razza, and beyond.
Add your name here to show your support for friendly spaces that help everyone get where they’re going — in an easy and fun way!
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