Progress on school buildings ‘stunning’

Kaikorai Primary School principal Simon Clarke stands in front of a block of classrooms which...
Kaikorai Primary School principal Simon Clarke stands in front of a block of classrooms which were recently demolished to make way for stage 2 of the school’s rebuild. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH
That new classroom smell.

Kaikorai Primary School principal Simon Clarke reckons it is even better than that new car smell.

Contractors recently completed a block of seven new classrooms at the 152-year-old Dunedin school, and have just finished demolishing another set of old classrooms to make way for another new block of five and a new school hall.

Mr Clarke said the work was part of a $7million project.

‘‘They’ve built the first seven classrooms which the kids are in now.

An image of a block of five classrooms and the new school hall, which will be built in its place.
An image of a block of five classrooms and the new school hall, which will be built in its place.
‘‘It’s just fantastic and so exciting for the teachers and students,’’ he said.

‘‘The kids are really enjoying the opportunities that these new spaces are providing — they’re working more collaboratively with each other, and it’s such a nice environment.

‘‘We’ve got the new classroom smell.’’

The pupils were saying the spaces were calm and warm.

The school’s board of trustees received approval from the Ministry of Education last Friday to demolish another four classrooms to make way for a new library, staffroom, administration room and staff workroom.

Mr Clarke said the cost of the latest project had not yet been confirmed.

It was hoped both builds would be finished by mid-2022.

To go from one of the oldest schools in Dunedin to brand new within 18 months was amazing, he said.

‘‘Considering how much work has to be done on quite a complicated site, it’s going very quickly,’’ he said.

‘‘It’s stunning.’’

john.lewis@odt.co.nz

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