Last stage of Mangapapa School rebuild under way

That’s a lot of concrete . . . 25 truckloads of concrete — a total of 130 cubic metres — were poured into boxing on Tuesday as part of the final stage of the $10-$12 million redevelopment of Mangapapa School. The project was disrupted by Covid-19 but it has been all go and it is expected it will be completed in time for the start of the 2025 school year. Pictures by Liam Clayton

The redevelopment of Mangapapa School completed an important milestone on Tuesday, with the pouring of the first layer of concrete foundations for the final stage of the project.

Main contractor, Currie Construction, and their team of subcontractors started at 4am to ensure the 25 truckloads of concrete totalling 130m3 were pumped into the boxing with minimal disruption to school operations.

The multi-stage rebuild project began in 2020 before Covid-19 restrictions and is expected to be completed for the start of the 2025 school year.

Mangapapa School principal Paul Sadler said it was exciting to see so much happening at the moment.

“The whole project has been a decade in the making and represents an amazing vision for the education of our awesome Mangapapa tamariki.”

The project has been estimated to cost between $10 million and $12 million.

Traditional classrooms will be replaced by “flexible learning spaces” with large sliding doors between them so teachers have the flexibility to teach collaboratively or independently.