Cullinane student Mualeoa Leo cuts the ribbon to officially open the building block as Quinn Tauroa, Bishop Charles Drennan and principal Justin Harper look on. Photo / Stuart Munro
Cullinane student Mualeoa Leo cuts the ribbon to officially open the building block as Quinn Tauroa, Bishop Charles Drennan and principal Justin Harper look on. Photo / Stuart Munro
Students, staff and local kaumatua gathered at Cullinane College on Friday for the opening ceremony of their new teaching and health services block.
The buildings were officially opened by Gerrard Albert and John Maihi with a dawn service at 5am, followed by Bishop Charles Drennan's blessing at 9.30am.
Within thenew block of buildings is a learning hub, commerce room, toilet block, computer room, school nurse's and councillors offices.
Its completion marks the end of the second stage of a $2 million redevelopment that was given the green light in 2016.
The building was already in development when Cullinane principal Justin Harper arrived in May.
The whole school attended the opening ceremony of their new teaching and health services block which was blessed by Bishop Charles Drennan. Photo / Stuart Munro
"It's been a little bit of a burden on our students, but well worth that time," Harper said.
"The students have been working in various spaces, our cafeteria has been used as a classroom."
In February this year, the college unveiled a new Wharenui and Performing Arts Centre that were built by architects BSM Group over a period of 12 months.
When the decision to redevelop was made, the principal at the school on Peat Street in Whanganui was Kevin Shore, who at the time said the old buildings were from the 1960's.
Shore said that the buildings only met 20 per cent of the earthquake standards at the time, which was "not ideal".
Stage three is scheduled to get underway and will involve old classrooms being gutted from inside and re-built to a modern standard.
