Many New Buildings For School Openings

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28178, 17 January 1957, Page 8

Many New Buildings For School Openings

Although the Canterbury Education Board’s building programme is spread evenly over the year and over most districts, with new. rooms being-occupied every term, the beginning of a new school year inevitably brings the greatest increase as work has been virtually uninterrupted for six weeks of the school holidays. February this year will be no exception. Sockburn, which has been functioning partly-occupied as a side school of Riccarton, now has its 10 rooms completed and will operate independently and soon elect its own school committee.

Gilberthorpe’s Road will open as new school for Hornby with four rooms initially. The Hornby Main School has a line of eight or 10 prefabricated classrooms in addition to its new wing which have taken the brunt of the rapid development in the district—the population is reported to have risen by 8000 in about 18 months. A third school is planned for Hornby to meet this situation. The Bower Avenue School of eight classrooms will also open in February. It is of block construction on the cluster plan—the first primary school of this design in Christchurch. Among the major additions are four classrooms at Burnside and four at Banks avenue. Both these schools were officially opened on 'he same day a few months ago •>ut already required extensions. \t the first the Minister of Eduation (Mr R. M. Algie) anlounced the acceptance of a ender and at the second men vere working on the new wing

while the Minister was opening the original section. Both these new wings will soon be occupied. Country districts have not been neglected. Four schools which have been rebuilt will be occupied in February at Studholme, Claremont. Totara Flat, and Taramakau. The Springston School, also rebuilt, was occupied late last year. Possession will also be taken of a new classroom at Waitaha. South Westland. At Amberley a modern five-roomed school is ready to replace the one Lost by fire last year.

At the foot of Colombo street, work is going ahead rapidly on the first four rooms of a new school to give relief to Cashmere and Somerfield. It will cater for young children on the flat round the foot of the hills and will probably be ready in the second term.

With the new year barely begun, the Education Board is already embarking on another big list of new schols. A tender was recently accepted for a new school of eight classrooms in Philpotts road to relieve Mairehau which, itself, was built only a few years ago to relieve Shirley. Part of it may be u£ed late in the year.

Another tender has been accepted for a new school at Karoro to relieve the Greymouth Main School and serve the growing residential area at South Beach on the main West Coast highway.

Tenders have also been accepted for additions at Orari and Clandeboye.