30 | REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Long Bay College: RCC Group www.morecroft.co.nz | 0800 33 33 11 | Auckland | Whangarei | Tauranga | Hamilton | Wellington GEOTECHNICAL CIVIL STRUCTURAL SURVEYING ENVIRONMENTAL CREATING STRONG FOUNDATIONS. We partner with you to overcome challenges, minimise risks, and deliver seamless results from concept to completion. 09 278 1072 info@chambersconsultants.co.nz CONTACT US Delivering high-quality, safe, and reliable, commercial and residential plumbing and drainage services for over 30 years. 09 263 7621 www.granthamgroup.co.nz Upgrades to transform college Progressive redevelopment is now transforming old facilities at the college. T T Kim Newth In the 1970s, S-68 single-storey classroom blocks with internal open courtyards were standard at many newly built New Zealand schools, including Auckland’s Long Bay College, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. Progressive redevelopment is now transforming old facilities at the college and ushering in an exciting new phase. Long Bay’s O Block, largely untouched for the last 50 years, is currently in the process of being stripped down to its original breeze block walls before being refurbished from the ground up. The 16-classroom block houses the school’s social science faculty. With a strong academic record and vibrant school culture, Long Bay College is fast-growing and started the year with its largest-ever roll of just over 2000 students. Given the growth pressure, losing 16 classrooms at once for the O Block upgrade was not an option. “Instead, it is being done in a two-stage programme with half the block still operational while the other half has no roof and is a shell of a building,” says principal, CJ Healey. “The main contractor, RCC Group, is really professional, collaborative and experienced with working in a live school environment. We were anticipating some noise and disruption, but so far we’ve hardly noticed they’re there.” With half the block out of action for first-stage works, the college is grateful to have four permanent new classrooms at its disposal. These were recently provided by the Ministry of Education in response to roll growth. Twelve more new classrooms have just been approved. The O Block upgrade is very much needed. As CJ says, staff and students deserve better than what they have had in recent years. “It was becoming really dated – cold and dark, and not reflective of the school we have become and the school we intend to be in the future. This refurbishment will give us a teaching and learning environment that’s consistent, reliable, and in line with the quality expectations of a growing, high-performing school.” Long Bay College has a proud academic record, with their results amongst New Zealand’s best. It achieved 85 NZQA Scholarships last year, of which eight were awarded as ‘outstanding’ and three were top of subject. One student was placed among the top 13 scholarship achievers nationwide. The O Block overhaul is part of a wider improvement programme, now nearing completion. Another S-68 – M Block – was upgraded some five years ago. The college also has a new wood technology classroom, refurbished engineering space, refurbished sports courts and a new 3x3 basketball court, and three, new, sheltered courtyard areas. A traditional weights room has been converted into a multi-function fitness suite.
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