By Eleanor Wilson
Students at two primary schools in Narre Warren North couldn’t contain their excitement last week as representatives from Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) visited the schools to announce the winners of its Easter colouring-in competition.
MRPV, which is currently working on the Narre Warren North Upgrade, received a staggering 373 entries into the competition, which tasked children aged 0-12 with colouring outlined drawings of Easter themed MRPV machinery.
At Mary MacKillop Primary School in the suburb’s north, students Wuri, Tilly and Layla came out on top and were each presented with a hamper of goodies for their sublime colouring skills.
“I tried to use a lot of colours in my picture, but it was difficult because most of the trucks are brown,” Tilly recalled.
Triumphant master drawer Wuri not only possessed master skills with a coloured pencil, but also had an impressive understanding of the meaning behind the competition.
“The competition was to teach us about the road works that are happening near school,” she said.
While the activity proved educational for some, others were more intrigued by the hamper of goodies each winner received, which included homemade sweet treats, goodies and vouchers from local businesses Cafe Coffea and Marco’s IGA, kid’s ‘high vis’ vests and a CFA donated teddy bear and home visit from the CFA fire truck.
“I’m gonna share [the hamper] with my friends,” Wuri said.
MRPV program director Brendan Pauwels said the project team was thrilled so many local children decided to take part in the colouring-in competition.
“It’s a great example of how the local community can play a small part in celebrating a really important road upgrade,” he said.
“The winners were outstanding.”
The Narre Warren North Upgrade itself has also progressed in recent months, with crews commencing work on a new shared use path from Belgrave-Hallam Road to Heatherton Road.
Upgrades to the Ernst Wanke Road intersection are also underway, while new bus stops North of Heatherton Road intersection have been built and opened.
The concrete pour of the Troups Creek Culvert has been completed and is now being prepared for drainage and pavement works to start in coming months.
MRPV projects that by the end of June, crews will have built a new bus stop and footpath on Memorial Drive.
It also plans to be ready to asphalt the new northbound lanes on Narre Warren North Road and change the barrier setup at Ernst Wanke Road to commence the second stage of upgrading the intersection.
