Business South August 2021

94 | COMMUNITY Linwood College College rebuild nearing completion Kim Newth “The post-earthquake period was a grim time for so many in Christchurch but it’s wonderful that we’re now on this positive pathway and looking forward to moving into our rebuilt facilities during 2022.” L inwood College was founded in 1954 and, following the damaging 2010/11 earth- quakes, funding for the school’s total rebuild was announced in 2015. Staff and students relocated to temporary prefab facilities at the former Avonside Girls High School site in 2019, which has been a real boon for the college in the interim. Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga has gifted a new name to the school to mark this new begin- ning in 2022: Te Aratai College – The pathway to the sea. “How fortunate we are to have the part- nership, advice and guidance from Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri in giving us a name that physically resonates with our environment and connects with whānau aspiration and all that’s good in what we want to have happen in education,” says Linwood College Tumuaki-Principal Rich- ard Edmundson. “The post-earthquake period was a grim time for so many in Christchurch but it’s won- derful that we’re now on this positive pathway and looking forward to moving into our rebuilt facilities during 2022. “Our temporary site, which we call Linwood College at Ōtākaro, is so much better than the unfortunately rundown buildings what we had in Aldwins Rd. As one parent said to me when we came here, ‘We’re getting an upgrade before the upgrade!’ Added to that, we haven’t had to deal with mud, noise and dust and hav- ing to move around in temporary classrooms which also saved time on the rebuild.” Extensive community engagement in 2016 revealed a desire for the college to become the local school of choice, fostering excel- lence, diversity and leadership and providing a safe and healthy environment for teaching and learning. Delivering on that vision is “a very positive partnership” involving Linwood College, archi- tects Architectus, project manager RDT Pacific, construction company Southbase and the Ministry of Education. “We were very aware of our responsibility to be future focussed and wanting to honour our values and what’s important to our community.” The new campus will offer a responsive learning environment and support teaching that best suits students’ learning needs. The purpose built space allows for a range of teaching and learning activities from coopera- tive teaching and learning through to teacher directed practices depending on what pedago- gy is needed. Te Aratai College is organised into four buildings based around groups of subjects that enhance teaching and learning experienc- es and have a natural connection. As part of Te Arawai College’s focus on Mauri Ora, through Ako, the Board of Trustees invested in a purpose built Whare – Kimihia te Mātauranga, and a formal courtyard for hosting outdoor events. Other amenities include a large student cen- tre and a 600-seat theatre-standard auditori- um, Te Puna. There are three additional educational provisions coming back to the Alwins Rd site. These are the off-site Technology Centre for the local client primary schools; the Kimihia Parental College and an early childhood education centre; and provision for Special Education – Aukaha, for students with the highest level of educational need. Te Aratai Campus has been built for 850 students. A second planned building stage would allow for a roll of 1200 students and a third stage for 1800 students. Hagley is proud to partner with Southbase to help construct Linwood College hagley.co.nz HagleyWindowsAotearoa rough & milne landscape architects www.roughandmilne.co.nz landscape and urban design | master planning landscape and visual assessment ...are proud to be working with Linwood College