A proposal for a new bike track at Rokeby Primary School led by a group of students will has come to fruition, after two years of planning and construction.

In January, Rokeby Primary School received a $50,000 infrastructure grant from the Tasmanian Community Fund (TCF) to build a bike track on the school grounds.

The students, who were looking for a way to stay active and beat after school boredom, submitted an application after conducting research and visiting other schools with similar facilities.

Rokeby Primary teacher Carla Brown said a lot of students felt they had nothing to do after school.

“It was recognised in health and wellbeing surveys that a very low percentage of our students participated in after-school activities,” she said.

“Our school is often a place where vandalism and anti-social behaviour occurs, and we wanted to turn this around and make our school grounds a positive space for the community.

“The TCF’s commitment towards supporting the ideas of young Tasmanians is really wonderful and I know this track will have long-lasting benefits for students at Rokeby Primary School.”

Six students have worked with staff and stakeholders from start to finish and will continue to help educate other kids looking to improve their bike skills.

“The group of students assisted with the grant submission for the TCF, came along for the project presentation and now will officially open the much-anticipated track,” Carla said.

“This is a really exciting project for the students at Rokeby Primary, it demonstrates that hard work and commitment is crucial for any successful project.”

Rokeby Primary School also received a shipping container and a fleet of BMX bikes which can be used on the track.

TCF chair Sally Darke said the Fund is proud to support initiatives driven by younger Tasmanians.

“Seeing young people from the Tasmanian community developing ideas and projects that have long-lasting positive impacts on the greater community is a prime example of the work we wish to support,” she said.

“We know the Fund is a significant source of support for community focused projects in the state and the dedication and drive shown by the students at Rokeby Primary School is truly commendable.”