As we have a number of new parents this year, we have included below the information sent from the Ministry of Education in the December 2021 newsletter about our property project.

Earlier this year we identified some seismic risk issues in the Pipitea Block. As a result, we erected scaffolding to support the temporary ceiling inside the atrium.  The removal of the glass panels and installation of a replacement steel roof has now been completed.

With the scaffold removed we were able to demolish the Atrium stairs.  The third area needing attention was the glazed wall facing Pipitea Street, which was removed in the last holiday break.  We are pleased the Pipitea Block is now above the Earthquake Prone Building threshold.  The completion of this work also means work can progress to separate the Tower from Pipitea.

Last week we heard the second building consent has been granted by WCC, allowing us to proceed with the main enabling works, including a new access stair into Pipitea, and new ramps to connect Pipitea and Brook blocks.  This work will commence during the Christmas break to make the best use of time available, but it will extend into the first term next year due to the amount of work.

The earlier WCC consent allowed progress on a new lift which is being installed on the south side of Brook Block to replace the lifts in Tower, which will soon be decommissioned.  Despite COVID-19 disruption, we have taken delivery of the lift components from overseas and the main structure for the lift shaft is being fabricated and will be installed before Christmas.

Preparations are already underway for the demolition of the Tower, with the internal strip out of levels 4 and 5 to be complete by Christmas. The work will continue through next year with external demolition scheduled to kick off mid-2022.

The Hall demolition will be completed over the summer period. Internal strip out is underway and temporary services are in place. The portion of the building containing the Music suite is being retained at this stage in the project.

The temporary village installed in 2020 has worked well and two additional temporary classrooms have been delivered to ease the pressure on space. These will be available for classes early next term.

The next exciting step in our journey at Wellington Girls’ College is to look at the future of Brook Block. The building is old and needs to be brought up to code. Wider conversations are ongoing around how the developments connect. We are considering several options for Brook including replacing or strengthening the building. We are getting expert advice to help us identify the best option, and to provide clarity on the cost and implications of each of the options.  Once a decision on the way forward is reached, the design process will inform the budget required to deliver the works.

Design of the replacement facilities is at conceptual phase and steady progress has been made. This is a complex inner-city site with many challenges to be resolved, including modernising the land titles and adjusting the Notice of Designation. Confirming the site and establishing the seismic parameters to be used in design, while also dealing with a large, old storm water line that cuts through the centre of the site have added to this complexity. We have made good progress so far.

The image below indicates the proposed location of the new hall, and a new block that will replace existing teaching spaces.

Last week we were informed by Te Ati Awa, that Kura Moeahu has been identified as the person who will be our cultural adviser on this project. This is great news. Kura has already had some involvement with the school and his whānau have a personal connection to our site, so he is keen to help us tell the iwi’s story in the design process.

Meetings are taking place regularly with the Ministry of Education and Wellington Girls' College as we work together on the redevelopment project and will provide you with regular newsletters and website updates as the project progresses. We are looking forward to working with school whānau in 2022 as we continue to plan for a better school environment.

The key contractors we are working with are:

McKenzie Higham Architects
Holmes Consulting Wellington Structural design
Maltbys Quantity Surveyor; Cost management
The Building Intelligence Group; Project management
Ceres New Zealand LLC; Demolition and removal of asbestos
Hawkins Construction Company; Enabling works for Tower removal