Tēnā koe,

As part of the Urban Cycleways Programme (UCP) funding the Whanganui District Council received from the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), we are launching a programme encouraging active transport in our community.

The programme, called Let’s Go, will aim to make walking, cycling and scootering a popular and safe travel choice for the people of Whanganui. Let’s Go will involve infrastructure development like the shared pathways (City Bridge to North Mole, and Te Tuaiwi – bottom of St John’s Hill, along St Hill Street to river), as well as educational and behaviour change programmes such as cyclist skills training, travel planning with schools and workplaces, events and competitions.

A substantial part of Let’s Go will involve working with young people. We would like to find an appropriate mascot for the programme which children and adults alike can identify with. We invite year 7-8 and/or year 9 students of your school to create and name a mascot.

Once the children have come up with a design and concept, we would like to exhibit their work in our community. We are currently working with Mainstreet Wanganui to find an appropriate space.

All concept designs will be judged by a small panel made up of teachers, artists and council staff. The school which creates the winning design will receive a Warehouse Stationery voucher worth $300.

The winning design will be used as the Let’s Go mascot and will appear on our Let’s Go Whanganui website, logos, stickers, maps etc. We will also get a costume made which will be used where Let’s Go events take place.

Please note, the winning design will become the property of the Whanganui District Council. The council reserves the right to make minor changes to the design as it will need to be digitalised, e.g. the colour of the mascot might change slightly in order to be easily replicated.

We encourage your school to take part in this initiative and communicate it to your students.

The mascot design and concept needs to be:

• An animal such as a bird or insect that is native to Aotearoa, New Zealand or a mythical creature and found in the Whanganui region
• Agile and friendly by nature
• Liked by children
• Named (as in Harold the Giraffe)
• A design that a child or adult could wear as a costume while being able to walk, ride a bike or ride a scooter
• Drawn and submitted on a A4 page available here
• Briefly explained in students’ own words, why it was chosen and what the design stands for (max 50 words, on the same A4 page).

Please submit the designs by the end of term two, Friday, 8 July 2016 to:

Norman Gruebsch, Active Transport Facilitator, 179 St Hill Street, Whanganui 4500

Ngā mihinui

Norman Gruebsch
Active Transport Facilitator
Whanganui District Council
M: 02102725921
Download the Mascot Design Template