| 109 Auckland Girls Grammar: RCC Group COMMUNITY T T Kelly Deeks Students welcome new gymnasium The completed gym has transformed what the PE faculty and sports department can offer. Auckland Girls’ Grammar School’s new gymnasium has emerged from seven years of disruption as a modern sports facility, giving students back a stunning and dedicated indoor space for physical education and opening new possibilities for the school’s PE programme. The Freemans Bay school’s 1200 students began using the refurbished gym at the start of Term Two, after a long sequence of damage, planning, funding, and construction. The project retained the existing footprint but stripped the building back to its bones, with the southern end reconfigured. Auckland Girls’ Grammar School Business Manager Samantha Hunia says the gymnasium’s problems began with a fire in 2019, which exposed asbestos in the building and forced its closure. Structural issues also later appeared down the western side of the building, causing further concerns. The Auckland Anniversary floods in 2023 ultimately finished the building off, with water damage highlighting shortcomings in the roof and drainage and strengthening the case for a major refurbishment. The Ministry of Education was already developing a business case when the flooding hit, and the damage helped demonstrate why the work was needed. The same floods damaged the school’s music block, where a low basement was inundated and instruments, including a baby grand piano, were lost. The disruption left a cohort of students without access to indoor PE and sporting opportunities. During the closure, the school made use of other spaces, including a large, covered area known as the Cloud, which was completed in 2024, covering the space of two netball courts. However, indoor capacity remained limited. Samantha says the project required extensive consultation with experts and consultants, as well as a detailed business case and procurement process. Funding was finally secured in 2024, with construction becoming a reality in 2025. The completed gym has transformed what the PE faculty and sports department can offer. Its light timber floor is marked for multiple sports, while expansive glazing brings natural light into the space and views across Auckland. It is particularly valuable for basketball, netball, badminton, and volleyball, giving those sports a dedicated indoor space and allowing teachers and coaches to develop programmes rather than constantly adapting lessons. “The quality of the teaching has been enhanced,” Maree says. The refurbishment is also encouraging greater use of the school’s two heated pools, a 20-metre pool and diving pool, which sit alongside the gym. Students now have more opportunities to move between activities, and PE classes can be spread across the campus. Samantha says managing the project successfully came down to communication, particularly during a complex renovation where unexpected issues emerged as walls and other areas were opened up. The main contractor, RCC Group, had a dedicated project manager and a secondary project manager on site, helping maintain clear communication with the school throughout construction. “Having the right personnel on site was key for us,” Samantha says. “When you’ve got a contractor that has good communication with the client, it is always a great job.” For a school established in 1888, the return of its gymnasium represents more than a building project. It restores an important part of daily school life and gives students access to a facility that many had never been able to use. “The students are so excited; the smiles on their faces say it all,” says Acting Principal Maree Flannery.
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