On United Nations Day of the Child (20 November 2019), tamariki met with Christchurch City councillors at Phillipstown Hub to present their ideas and design work informing the brief for an interactive artwork at Doris Lusk Reserve.

Drawing on their involvement in a council-led project from the previous year, the children spoke to physical models they had developed at the time, clearly communicating their ideas, priorities, and aspirations for the park.

The meeting gave decision-makers immediate insights into the value of children’s contributions to public space projects. It directly informed the first Place Cadets project at Phillipstown Hub in 2020 and led to the establishment of the Place Cadets Charitable Trust, demonstrating how structured engagement with children can strengthen project briefs, support more inclusive design decisions, and deliver public spaces that are better used and valued by their communities.