Alvie Primary School kids scaling the heights
The new term at Alvie Primary School has "kicked off" in fantastic style with a new playground for the pupils, including an all-weather games areas for football and other sports and a climbing wall.
Once the school broke up for summer holidays, A9 contractor Wills Bros John Paul JV, immediately set to work to revamp the area in time for the new school year to begin.
The firm is currently working on widening the road between Kincraig and Dalraddy as part of Transport Scotland £3 billion project to dual the Inverness-Perth route.
Pupils now have access to an all-weather, multi-use games area which will enable them to play a number of sports, including football, hockey, tennis and netball.
The contractor has also erected 15 metres of climbing wall suitable for use by primary school pupils.
As well as providing the children with a fun activity, the climbing wall is expected to improve the pupils’s balance, strength and flexibility.
Drainage has also been installed to weather-proof the ground as much as possible against the extremes of the strath’s weather.
Earlier this year Kip Clark, head-teacher of Alvie Primary School, highlighted that balls often stray outside the school grounds and on occasion have rolled towards the road.
On hearing this Wills Bros John Paul JV arranged for a mobile football net to be installed as a temporary measure while vegetation between the school and the A9 was removed. The mobile net has now been replaced with a three metres high permanent fence, as part of the improvement work to the play area.
Planting and seeding around the perimeter of the playground will be carried out in the spring.
The refurbishment of the playground was agreed with Highland Council in return for areas of school land which were required to be given up to accommodate the dualling project.
Mrs Clark said: "The children absolutely love the new playing pitch and climbing wall, it really breathes new life into the school. I’ve had very positive feedback and the parents have been really impressed with the new facility too.
"The previous noise from the A9 was significant but with the new wall and fencing which acts as a noise barrier and makes the playground even safer for the pupils, we can now take lessons outside. This is great for the teachers and great for the pupils.
"Everyone at the school is very grateful for the new facility and we very much look forward to making good use of it."
Keith Brown, cabinet secretary for economy, jobs and fair work, said: "In dualling this stretch of the A9, we place great importance upon the work being done effectively and efficiently.
"However in doing so, we also take cognisance of the local communities that maybe affected by our work and we endeavour to minimise disruption as far as possible.
"Community benefits are also at the core of the work we do and I am delighted that the Alvie Primary School will have a lasting legacy as a result of the work to dual this stretch of the A9."
Paul Gilligan, project manager for Wills Bros John Paul JV, said: "While working and living in the area, we have forged close links with the staff and pupils at Alvie Primary.
"We are delighted to be able to provide these new facilities for the school pupils so they may enjoy multiple outdoor activities including football, netball, tennis, hockey and hopefully by providing these facilities we may contribute to a future sporting star."
This work was undertaken during the school holidays to minimise any disruption to lessons and outdoor time for the children.
The A9 Kincraig-Dalraddy dualling project is scheduled to be completed in summer 2017.