| 107 “These projects are rolling out as part of the Government’s investment through Budget 24 and 25. We have prioritised school infrastructure to get school communities the classrooms, upgrades, and maintenance work they have long waited for.” T T Russell Fredric Improving learning environments The focus of the project is to address weathertightness issues and bring the building up to modern standards. COMMUNITY Māruawai College Proud to supply Ajax Construction Cost Consultants Projec We are proud to be providing project management and quantity surveying services on this landmark Maruawai College Redevelopment. “Every dollar counts” t Managers Southern Quantity Surveyors 109 Gala Street, INVERCARGILL Ph: 03 218 6544 Web: www.sqs.co.nz Grant Smith 027 788 9808 grant@firesafetysolutions.co.nz Nigel Smith 027 735 1031 nigel@firesafetysolutions.co.nz Fire Design Specialists Practical, cost effective design solutions Funding for eight new specialist classrooms is set to reshape learning at Māruawai College, marking the next stage in a campus redevelopment already well underway. Māruawai College is a co-educational state school catering for Year 7-13 students, which opened at the start of the 2024 academic year following the voluntary merger of Gore High School and Longford Intermediate. Work is currently progressing on the re-roofing and re-cladding of the college’s Block B library building. The project reached a key milestone in March 2026, with building consent issued for weathertightness remediation works valued at around $1.5 million. Following the contract award in mid-March, Ajax Building Contractors began works in early April, with completion expected towards the end of August. The focus of the project is to address weathertightness issues and bring the building up to modern standards. Once complete, the upgrade will extend the life of the building, while providing a more reliable and comfortable environment for learning. This latest stage forms part of a broader redevelopment programme that has been rolling out over several years. The college has already seen several improvements across the campus, including alterations to existing classroom blocks, the addition of a covered canopy to improve connectivity, and upgrades to outdoor areas, such as the installation of synthetic turf. Other completed works include earthquake strengthening, re-roofing and re-cladding and placing acoustic ceiling panels in the Block F gymnasium, along with demolition of older buildings to make way for new developments. Classroom remodelling within Block A and the delivery of a specialist technical block have also been key components of the wider programme. The redevelopment is being delivered in stages, allowing the school to remain fully operational while upgrades are carried out. It also aligns with longer-term plans to bring the junior campus on to the main site, creating a more integrated and efficient layout for the school community. The ongoing investment reflects a wider trend in the education sector, where schools are upgrading ageing infrastructure and addressing legacy building issues, such as weathertightness, to ensure facilities are not only compliant, but are fit for modern teaching and learning environments. The current library works represent another step forward in that process. While relatively focused in scope, the project contributes to the overall improvement of the campus, with further stages of redevelopment already in planning. On May 4, the Government pledged $56.6 million in funding to remedy longstanding condition issues and bring facilities up to standard at six schools nationwide, as part of its $2 billion investment into school infrastructure. Education Minister, Erica Stanford said the redevelopments will cover 52 teaching spaces across the country. “These projects are rolling out as part of the Government’s investment through Budget 24 and 25. We have prioritised school infrastructure to get school communities the classrooms, upgrades, and maintenance work they have long waited for.” Work is set to begin in the next six months. Member of Parliament for Southland Joseph Mooney said he has been working with Maruawai College principal, Melanie Hamilton, and her team, advocating for funding to redevelop the campus across successive governments. “...and am seriously stoked to get this one across the line thanks to Education Minister Erica Stanford MP and the New Zealand National Party-led Government”. “Kiwi kids deserve to learn in warm, dry, and safe environments.”
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