North Canterbury News: March 19, 2020

NEWS
16 North Canterbury News, March 19, 2020
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Ribbon cutting ... From left, Hurunui District Mayor Marie Black, with descendants of the
Fraser family, Ann Schrieber, from Whangamata, Bess Holebone, from Havelock North, Sue
Olson, from Tauranga, and Zona McDonald, from Gisborne.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Cottage revamp a
quake milestone
By ROBYN BRISTOW
The historicWaiauCobCottage, badly
damagedinthe2016 earthquake, has been
reborn.
Descendants of the Fraser family,who
livedinthe cottage for20 yearsfrom1867,
wereonhandlastSaturday to officially
open the cottage and admire its
restoration.
Eleven members of thefamily travelled
southfromTaumaranui,Tauranga,
HavelockNorth,Taupo, Auckland,
Whangamata and Masterton for the
ceremony.
They joined around 60 people,including
Hurunui Mayor Marie Black, local
councillor Ross Barnes and council staff,
to celebrate the milestone in Waiau’s
recovery fromthe7.8­magnitude quake.
Grant Fraser, the first­born grandchild
of Hugh Fraser, said there was something
special about Waiau.
‘‘It is such an amazing community. Ihave
neverlived here,butitfeels like home,”
Grant said. “When Ivisitedthecobcottage
in 2017 after the earthquake damage, I
never could haveimagined theresult we
seetoday.Weare so gratefulforthe
commitment and support everyone has
given.Itis amazing.
“Whatawonderful day, with great food
and good people.
❛It is such an amazing
community. Ihave never lived
here, but it feels like home.❜
—Grant Fraser
‘‘We are so happy we made it down.”
Grant said the familyunderstoodHugh
settled in the cottage with11children.
Three children died and were buried in
theWaiau cemetery.
After 20 years in Waiau, the Frasers
moved to Gisborne.
The project to restore the cottagewas
made possible by funding from the Lottery
Grants Board and the AmuriHistorical
Society.
MaryBowen’s work in archiving the
history of the Fraser family was
recognised, along with the cob cottage
history by Cameron Scott, aFraser
descendant. Tribute was also paidtothe
support of the council,the work of the
builder, Jim Gentle, andthe effortsofM.C.
Jackson Plastering Ltd in faithfully
restoring the walls of the cottage using a
mix of straw, localdirtandcow dung.
Mrs Black said thecommunity had been
amazing in swinging behind Waiau’s
recovery and helping ensure the
restoration of the cottage.
Master plan being prepared
By DAVID HILL
Oxford AreaSchoolhopes to have a
master planfor itsproposedrebuild by
the endofthe year.
Therehas been much anticipation
sincethe government announceda
$10 million redevelopment of the school
in September 2018 and principal Mike
Hart admitsthat progress has been a
little slowerthan he would like.
‘‘Last year, as aschool,wewrote a
briefofhow we currently use the school
setting and how we mightuse it in the
future.
‘‘It’s about lookingat50years from
now.
‘‘We’re not just rebuilding the school
for tomorrow,it’s for the future, so it’s
important that we invest the time in the
planning.
‘‘We are just excited and really
looking forward to seeing thefirstdraft
and then working withthe architects to
finalise it.’’
Mr Hart saysvirtually the entire
school will be redeveloped, aside from
the new modern learning environment
building whichwas opened in 2017.
The school will receiveanextra
$347,000 fromthe government’s schools
packageannounced towards the end of
lastyearand ‘‘wewillbelookingtouse
thatinconjunctionwith the rebuild’’.
Mr Hart saysthe school’s observatory
is considered aclassroomand will be
incorporated in the rebuild.
‘‘Wewould likeittobeacentrepiece
in the school.The biggest challengeis
the line of sight and being abletosee the
horizon.’’
The new observatorywill likely
incorporatealecture­theatre­type
space, whichcan be used as aclassroom
during the day,with thetelescope room
attached.