School gym dream - 70 years later

HOME RUN: Construction of the $1.8 million gymnasium at Chanel College is almost complete, and will be blessed next week, says principal Grant Miles. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

The dawn blessing of the $1.8 million gymnasium at Chanel College next week will realise a dream almost 70 years in the making, says principal Grant Miles.

Workers have been putting the final touches to the gymnasium, the construction of which came about this year through the vision and commitment of the Catholic Schools Board that owns Chanel College, the Board of Trustees, parents, staff, old boys and girls, and the wider school community, Mr Miles said.

The concept of a gymnasium at the school had been initially raised when the school was built in 1945, he said.

"There was an entry in the yearbook that year where they talked about raising money for a large building to be used as a gymnasium.

"That turned out to be the school hall, which wasn't big enough in the end for a full game of basketball. We've been unable for all this time to host competitions here or hold interschool games - we've had to go off-site for all of that."

The idea of a gymnasium was again raised in 1978 when St Joseph's College merged with St Bride's College to form Chanel College, Mr Miles said, and the shared ambition was revisited in 2012, after which the Catholic Schools Board earmarked $400,000 for the project and the school won a grant of $60,000 from Masterton Licensing Trust and a $30,000 grant from Lands Trust Masterton.

Archbishop John Dew, a school pupil in the 1960s, afterward announced a $1 million increase in the investment from the Wellington Catholic Diocese, to accommodate an expanded design, and money had also been raised through Chanel College Education Funds, the Chanel College Parents, Teachers and Friends Association, Brigidine Sisters, Logan family, and the Gymnasium Building Committee.

"There had been $230,000 raised for the project as it stands today and Archbishop John and the Wellington Catholic Diocese came to the party and gave us $1.56 million, which was a huge bonus to ensure the facility could be built."

The gymnasium borders the school hall and the No1 soccer ground, and houses a basketball court, a digital scoreboard, indoor tennis court, four volleyball courts, netball court, badminton courts, a wall height suitable for international trampoline competition, indoor hockey court, a static weights and fitness training area and classroom space for fitness and health education.

There is also a mezzanine floor incorporating a kitchen and a viewing gallery.

The gymnasium will be officially opened on March 1 by Archbishop John Dew.

Monsignor Gerard Burns, Wellington Catholic Diocese Maori representative, will lead a dawn blessing of the gymnasium at 6am on December 4.