Introducing the Magic Tower & The New Whare!
What was once a relatively empty playground space at Fossil Bay School has now been enriched with two beautiful handmade play sculptures, thanks to the creativity and generosity of Beau and Alan, both parents of the school.
The “Magic Tower” as it has been coined, is a heartwarming story of turning (almost) discarded wood into a beautiful structure, and reflects the strong sense of community and creativity that flourishes at Fossil Bay.
It has always been the shared vision of the fossil bay whanau to transform the relatively plain playground into something where arts, sculpture and play meet. One day Iris struck up a conversation with Beau who was nearby, and explained their vague visions for the space. As a Steiner parent himself, she knew he might have some creative ideas up his sleeve. After a brief conversation, they both carried on and went about their days.
Weeks later, fate seemed to intervene as Beau heard the sound of a chainsaw from his neighbour's yard. Upon investigation, he discovered his neighbour cutting branches off a large tree, planning to scrap them. A little lightbulb went off in Beau’s head… he kindly asked if he could have the wood for a creative project. The woman, who in another serendipitous twist of fate turned out to be Donna’s (the head teacher) daughter, graciously agreed to donate the wood.
With the wood in his possession, Beau set to work on his ambitious creation,
unbeknown to Iris, Donna, and the school children. Drawing from his own experiences at a Steiner school, renowned for nurturing creativity and artistic expression, he poured his heart into creating a structure that would inspire play and exploration.
When the students of Fossil Bay returned to school to start term 3, they were met with the surprise not only the Magic Tower, but a beautiful whare built by another parent, Alan. The tamariki were excited to say the least.
For Iris, seeing her casually explained vision come to life was a special moment. "I couldn't have imagined anything more perfect for this space," she said. "It's not just a sculpture or a playground; it's a symbol of our community's creativity and generosity."
The fact that the sculpture is made of Donna’s daughter’s tree only deepens the sense of interconnectedness within the Fossil Bay community. It was a beautiful reminder of how small acts of kindness and generosity could create something beautiful.
Donna, the head teacher, expressed her gratitude, saying, "We are incredibly fortunate to have such talented and caring parents in our community. Beau has gifted us with a work of art that will continue to inspire generations of students."
Donna explains that the children are loving the new addition to their space. It can be anything their imaginations muster up; a pirate ship, a tree-house, a castle , a monkey sanctuary…the possibilities are endless. The children even (by their own initiative) decided a no shoes rule to keep the sculpture in great condition.
