Campaign to connect Capital’s youth kicks off

8 March 2007

Campaign to connect Capital’s youth kicks off

A community-based project to connect all Wellington schools to an ultra high-speed fibre optic data cable was officially kicked off in Wellington this evening.

The ‘Wellington Loop’ project was hosted by Contact Energy at Te Papa, with around 200 business people, teachers, students and politicians turning out to support the project.

Laurence Zwimpfer, Chairperson of the Wellington Loop Steering Committee, said the project had the potential to revolutionise learning, and he urged the community to take an interest in the project and support it.

Mr Zwimpfer said providing ‘real-time learning’ through an ultra high-speed connection was critical for ensuring that Wellington students had access to the very latest technology and learning opportunities.

"We are delighted to have launched this project and to have been so well-supported in reaching this point. However now we need real support from Wellington businesses and the local community to raise the funds needed to see this project through to completion."

A number of Central Wellington schools are already connected to Citylink’s established fibre optic cable, and the Wellington Loop project aims to ‘complete the loop’ by connecting up all schools in the greater Wellington region.

The project is being driven by five inner city secondary schools - Wellington Girls’ College, Wellington College, Wellington High School, St Mary’s College, Wellington East Girls’ College – and is supported by CityLink, Wellington City Council and Contact. Contact Energy has hosted the official launch as a corporate partner.

"The Wellington Loop will bind local businesses, schools and communities with technology infrastructure to create outstanding learning outcomes for the young people of Wellington. To achieve this goal, we need the involvement and support of Wellington business," said Mr Zwimpfer.

"Speed matters when it comes to learning and technology, and this project has the potential to change the way our children learn, and bring our different schools, cultures and communities together," he said.
"This is an important project for the future of Wellington. We are off to a fantastic start and look forward to being able to hook up all Wellington schools as quickly as possible."

The Wellington Loop project was officially launched by the Hon. Trevor Mallard, the Minister for Economic Development, and Kerry Prendergast, Mayor of Wellington.

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