Belfast School and Pitau Allenvale School held the Blessing and Sod-turning ceremony for the new school site on Friday 6 May, 2022.

Turning the sod is a traditional ceremony that signals the first stage of construction for a building project. It is usual for dignitaries such as business people and politicians to attend. Year 7-8 students in the Kapa Haka group performed a himene waiata and haka to welcome the guests gathered for the special occasion.

Matua Maaka from Ngai Tuahuriri performed the blessing with representatives from Belfast School, Pitau-Allenvale School, the Ministry of Education, and members from WSP (design team)  and Leighs Construction, our local Members of Parliament,  Matt Doocey and Sarah Pallet, and City Councillor, Aaron Keown. 

The weather was perfect and Belfast School senior students gave a stunning performance.  

Thank you to Mr. Jon Rogers, Belfast School Project Manager, for organising the event and to the students from both schools who participated in turning the sod. 

Things are about to get very busy on the new site located just past the new Countdown being built near the intersection of Main North and Belfast Roads. Temporary test piles are already sticking up from the ground. Shortly permanent piles will be driven into the ground followed by further site preparation and initial building work.