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‘It feels real’: School to emerge in warehouse

Lee Kenny

Marian College is being retrofitted inside the former Foodstuff distribution centre – one of the largest commercial buildings in the South Island – and after more than two years of planning, work is finally under way.

The school’s Shirley site was destroyed during the 2011 earthquake, and it has spent ten years moving from different shared sites.

In March, principal Mary-Lou Davidson unveiled the ambitious plan to construct the two-storey school inside the former warehouse using prefabricated South Island timber for the internal structures.

And yesterday she was among a small group who donned hard hats and high-vis vests and went inside the Papanui building for the first time since work began. ‘‘It feels real now,’’ she said. ‘‘There’s a real sense of progress and moving forward. We’re just looking forward to having a home, that’s the thing the school community is most excited about.’’

The 3.16 hectare site, off Lydia St, was bought by the Diocese of Christchurch in February 2019 for $17 million. The build is estimated to cost an additional $25m.

It is hoped the new school will open in the first quarter of 2023. Once completed it will consist of 26 classrooms, a chapel and a fully-equipped sports hall.

Head girl Taylor Fasifidow, 17, said there’s a lot of excitement among students. ‘‘It’s awesome to see behind the scenes,’’ she said. ‘‘It will be cool to see Marian have a new home.’’

Paul Martin, the Bishop of Christchurch, said the new school’s proximity to its brother school, St Bede’s College was the ‘‘main driver’’ in selecting the site. ‘‘Last time I was here it had shelving. Now you can see the possibilities,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m really keen for this school to work with St Bede’s, which is why I wanted it here, in this space.’’

Kirill Makogon, project manager with Armitage Williams construction, said around 20 to 25 staff are currently involved in the project and they have just started the partial demolition of the building in preparation for the construction work.

Architect Jonathan Kennedy of Sheppard & Rout said sustainability has been key to the project. ‘‘ We’re using some pretty innovative technologies,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s not everyday you get to design a school in an existing warehouse.’’

Marian College currently has a maximum roll of 430, but the new building will allow further growth.

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2021-10-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-10-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/281556589037871

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