118 | COMMUNITY Gleniti School: Shore Construction Upgrade welcomed at Gleniti School The new colour palette features a neutral cream, contrasting with warm timber and complemented by the school’s maroon and black . “It is an exciting time for us. We’re a family-based, growing school, in an area where there is a lot of new housing development. T T Kim Newth Brittle old fibre cement-board cladding will soon be a distant memory at Timaru’s Gleniti School, where classrooms are being progressively upgraded with modern new Colorsteel cladding, as well as new insulation, new double-glazing and new exterior doors. The Ministry of Education is funding the upgrade, with design by Timaru’s Rushton Architects, and Shore Construction leading the work on-site at the school. “We are thrilled this project is underway as it provides an opportunity for the school to have a facelift and to bring our school colours (maroon and black) into the design and layout of the physical environment,” says tumuaki/ principal Mark Creba. “It also means our classrooms will be warmer and will have much better acoustic properties.” He notes the project will also likely bring cost savings on maintenance that he hopes could be redirected into learning resources in the future. This 18-month project is being carefully staged to minimise disruption for student learning. Term by term, a block of four classrooms is being stripped of old cladding and then upgraded. Temporary classroom space has been created to accommodate students as each block is revamped. “The project started last October/November, with temporary classes erected in the hall. Some other work also needed to be done in a hall meeting room to make it more of a manageable space,” says Mark. “We’re also using our library as a temporary classroom. De-cladding of the first block (Rooms 1-4) was done over summer and then was re-clad in the first term.” With the first block now completed and drawing plenty of positive feedback, it is fast becoming apparent what a boost this project is for the school. The new colour palette features a neutral cream, contrasting with warm timber and complemented by the school’s maroon and black colours. “Visually, the finished product looks really attractive. From the outside, they look like new classrooms. We think it looks really sharp and everything is working well.” Mark says the school’s relationship with Shore Construction has been excellent. He says their professional team is maintaining good communication with the school and delivering to a high standard. Both Mark and the school’s property manager attend fortnightly site meetings. “They’ve been first class to deal with,” Mark says. Shore Construction is family-owned and has been operating out of Timaru for over 30 years. In recent years, the company has extended its reach across the South Island with teams now also based in Christchurch and Wānaka. It has completed multiple projects in the education sector. Gleniti School’s administration building is also in line for new cladding. Staff in that building will relocate to the temporary spaces in the hall, once their turn comes. Prior to this project, the school had been planning to refurbish their senior classroom block (Rooms 11-14), both inside and out. Shore Construction will also be undertaking that work, in addition to the school-wide re-cladding project. “We’re excited about the opportunity to both re-clad that block and do the internal refurbishment. As well, a new north-facing deck will be added to the building alongside the classrooms. All of that will be done in Term 4 and over the summer holiday period,” says Mark. Also coinciding with the revamp of classrooms is a school fencing project. One of the more significant pieces of work has been the installation of new school car park fencing. “We expect to have everything fully completed at our school by the middle of next year,” Mark says. “It is an exciting time for us. We’re a family-based, growing school, in an area where there is a lot of new housing development. We’re well-supported by our local community and are well-placed to meet the needs of young people.” Shore Construction delivers excellence in residential and commercial projects of all complexities. With over 30 years of experience, our family-owned business is committed to quality craftsmanship and long-term relationships. We proudly serve Canterbury, Central Otago, and the Mackenzie District, with branches in Timaru, Christchurch, and Wanaka, Build with confidence – partner with Shore Construction today. Proud construction partners for Gleniti School 0800 688 7313 shoreconstruction.co.nz
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