School children conduct survey

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 24, 13 November 1984, Page 13

School children conduct survey

As part of a Social Studies unit on the effects of the skifield on Ohakune, Sally Clarke's pupils from Standard Three and Four, Room Two of the Ohakune Primary School conducted a survey in Ohakune asking a cross section of people various questions relating to the skifield. The 30 children conducted the survey on Tuesday 9 October during school hours. They first asked four motel owners who said that they rely on the skifield for the bulk of their income. In the winter, they need more staff and have trouble ordering sufficient food. The major problem caused is vandalism. Every season, they have a range of 30 to 1 50 people per week, most coming from Auckland and Wellington. The children also interviewed five shop owners who said that their businesses had expanded because of the tourists coming to the skifield. A third of the shopkeepers said that Ohakune was overcrowded. Three said that approximately one hundred people come into their shops each day, the other two said approximately three hundred come in during the season. Skiers ignore small town principles said some of the shopkeepers who find it

difficult to keep an eye open for dishonest people. They all said that the skiers have had a strong influence on the town. Skiers themselves, when asked what effect they felt the skifield had had in Ohakune, said they felt that it had improved the town but they also thought that the mountain's weather often hinders the satisfactory running of the skifield.

They felt that there should be more for them to do, when the mountain was closed, in Ohakune and surrounding areas. Local people are in no doubt about the skifield. Half say it has improved the town but that some of the, change would have occurred anyway but not so quickly. The other half disliked the skiers and what has been

done to Ohakune, adding that Ohakune is not big enough for a tourist town. The children finally visited some ski hire shops who all obviously like the skifield. It gives them the opportunity to meet many people from overseas and to also ski on Turoa themselves. According to teacher Sally Clarke, the children thoroughly enjoyed conducting the survey.