The new development, built within walls of the school's former boarding hostel (Balmacewen House), includes a modern library and IT facility, a common room for up to 80 year-13 boys; four multifunction classrooms, a meeting room, teachers' offices and workspaces, and an open lounge area for pupils.
School benefactor and former collegian Eion Edgar spoke about the reasons behind his decision to assist the school financially, and his time as a pupil there ‘‘many years ago''.
He had planned to bequeath money to the school, but was moved to donate funds to the learning centre project after being struck by a line in correspondence on the project which read ‘‘better a warm heart than a cold hand''.
Mr Edgar said that while he had not excelled academically, he valued his experiences at the school highly, and about half of the close friendships he carried into adult life were made there.
Head boy Luke Robson spoke about the link between pupils making use of educational opportunities and new facilities, before joining other pupils in a performance of the school's haka, which was led by year-13 pupil Ben Qauqau (16).
Before officially opening the building, Mr Satyanand said continuity existed between early innovations in communication - such as those made by Guttenburg in 1430, when he developed the printing press - and the cyber age; facilities like the new centre would assist pupils in accessing information.
Mr Satyanand described Mr Edgar as a ‘‘contributor to public good in New Zealand in so many ways''.
Principal Mike Corkery said the centre would put McGlashan at the forefront of boys' education in New Zealand for years to come.
A key objective was to provide future generations with the ultimate learning facility in the so-called information age, he said.
The opening of the centre was timed to coincide with the school's 90th anniversary celebrations this weekend.
