North Canterbury News: December 16, 2021

NEWS
12 The North Canterbury News, December 16, 2021
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School builds remain on track
By DAVID HILL
North Canterbury school building
projectsremain on track, despite the
challengesofCovid­19.
OxfordArea School, Amuri Area
School, Leithfield School and Tuahiwi
Schoolall have majorredevelopments
or new teaching spaces in the planning
stages, Ministry of Education
infrastructure and digitalHautu
(leader) Scott Evans says.
Meanwhile afurtherthreeNorth
Canterbury schoolshave projects due
to be completednext year.
Amajorredevelopment at Oxford
Area Schoolhas beeninthe pipeline
since the governmentannounced a$10
million revampofthe school in
September2018.
The redevelopment was set to
replace 11 prefab classrooms, as well
as provide anew library and
administration blockand extensions
and upgrades to the generalpurpose
hall and the technology block.
Project architect Athfield Architects
completed the master planfor the
redevelopment earlierthis year.
It was presented to the school’s
board of trustees by Athfield
Architectsand project manager RDT
Pacific in May and was described by
principalMike Hart as ‘‘awesome’’.
Mr Evans saysthe architect is about
to start the next stages of design, with
aconstruction contractor expected to
be appointed in the second half of next
year.
OxfordArea School was established
in 1978,with OxfordDistrict High
Schoolmergingwith neighbouring
primary schools.
Next yearmarks150 years since the
district high school wasfirst
established, in 1872.
‘‘There are buildingsonthe sitethat
had alife before beingpart of Oxford
Area School,sothe opportunity to
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Mike Hart
design and develop modern
classrooms to teach studentsinthe
21st century is very exciting,’’ Mr Hart
says.
Alead designer has been appointed
to lead the redevelopment of Amuri
Area School’s senior campus,
including six new teaching spaces.
Work is expected to begin in the New
Year to consider options for the
development including condition
assessments of allthe buildings.
AmuriArea School was builtfor 300
pupils, but the role has exceeded that
in recent years,meaning the
redevelopment is long overdue.
Design work hasbeen completed on
the redevelopment of two teaching
spaces, anew rollgrowthteaching
Merry Chrtm and a safe
and hey New Year!
We have had achallenging yearwith covid-19
but inaddition local government
has been challenged with the
proposed ThreeWatersReform.
Future for Local Government
and Resource Management
changes, ALLremove local
say and control ofcommunity
assets. Whilst some change is
inevitable Icontinue to
work to protect YOUR
rights andtoensure a
local voice.
Philip Redmond QSM
Waimakariri District Councillor |Kaiapoi Woodend Ward
space and anew libraryatLeithfield
School.
Enablingworks are underway and
the Ministry aims to appoint the main
contractor in theNew Year.
TuahiwiSchool is set to receive two
rollgrowthteaching spaces.
These will be modular buildings
manufactured off­site and are
expected to be available in time for
the 2023 schoolyear, Mr Evans says.
Afurther three schools have
projectslined up under theschool
investment package (SIP)announced
in December 2019,which provided a
one­off cashinjection of up to $400,000
to 39 NorthCanterbury schools.
The schools initiallyhad adeadline
of December 2021 to spendthe money,
Mr Evans says.
‘‘Inresponse to Covid­19 restrictions
and market constraints, the date
where projects mustbeindeliveryby
has been extended to June30, 2022.
‘‘This means schoolsnow have
additional time for the procurement
phase of their projects.
‘‘The extension will be welcomed by
schoolsgivingthem more time to
engage contractors.’’
WoodendPrimary Schoolisusing its
SIP fundingtobuild acloak­bay shed.
WorkisexpectedtobegininApril
and be completedthe following
month.
CustSchoolwill use its allocation on
aplayground and outdoor learning
area/deck.
Workonthe playgroundstartedin
October andhas been completed,
while work on the outdoor learning
deckwill begin in February.
Kaikoura Primary School will use its
fundingonapouwhenuaand signage
for the front entrance.
Workisunder way on thesignage
piece, while design workhas begun on
the pouwhenuawith construction due
to begin in February.
Speed limit rejected
The speed limit on Oxford’s Main Street is
set to remain at 50kph.
The Waimakariri District Council voted
last week to reject aproposal to reduce the
speed limitto40kph,following public
consultation.
Councilstaff estimated it would cost
around$450,000tomake the necessary
infrastructure and trafficcalming changes,
which had not been budgeted for in the
Long Term Plan completed earlier this
year.
‘‘Themajorityofcouncillors didn’t
support it, predominantly because of the
budgetitwould require to bringabout that
change,’’ Mayor Dan Gordonsays.
‘‘But it was important to go through our
consultation period and to get the viewsof
the community, which were taken on
board and considered.’’
But councillorsdid agree to consider
increasing funding to roading projects to
meet some of the funding shortfalls from
Waka Kotahi New ZealandTransport
Agency. This will be considered as part of
next year’s annual plan process and will be
subject to public consultation.
Staff proposed funding an additional
$445,650 towards the minor safety
programme and $637,392 towardsthe
maintenance, operationand renewals
programme,spreadover the 2022/23 and
2023/24financial years.The appropriate
place to consider the complete picture is
through the annual plan process, says Mr
Gordon.
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