John McGlashan College principal Mike Corkery with one of
about 120 seating forms from the school's chapel which are
being sold. Photo by Gerard O'Brien.
Since 1961, they have provided a perch for some of
Otago's brightest and best secondary pupils.
But now, the 50-year-old seating forms in the John McGlashan
College chapel are being sold to make way for new ones.
Principal Mike Corkery said the chapel was traditionally used
for school assemblies and formal functions.
Now, it would double as the school's gymnasium while the old
gym was being demolished and rebuilt.
Mr Corkery said using the chapel for multiple purposes
brought challenges, which included having to move the seating
out of the way to make room for gym classes.
"The old chairs have been at the school since 1961 and are
very heavy and hard to stack out of the way."
So the school had bought new chairs made of lightweight
plastic which would be easier to move, he said.
Only about 20 forms had been sold so far.
They are being sold for $50 each, with proceeds going to the
school's Parents and Friends Association which helps fund
sporting and cultural equipment purchases.
The school's new $3 million-$4 million gymnasium was expected
to be complete early next year, and would have a large court
for basketball and badminton, a weights room, a classroom,
changing rooms and a teachers' work space.
Plans showed the windows in the building would be made of
bullet-proof glass, which would allow more natural light to
enter the gymnasium, creating a less gloomy atmosphere during
physical education lessons.
- john.lewis@odt.co.nz
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