It has been a number of years since Minister Chris Hipkins announced TGC were to receive $6m for the remediation of J Block for earthquake strengthening and weather tightness.

Since then research has gone into a major redesign of J Block to incorporate a modern learning environment that will better suit the needs of our students, alongside of course, a MUCH larger budget from the Ministry of Education. We are now at the developed design stage with a construction start date of August 2022; some preparation work will start as soon as Term One next year. The completion date is currently set as July 2023.

We are excited about new opportunities the design allows us in terms of flexible, collaborative and innovative teaching spaces that replicate what is happening in many other aspects of our community; industry, business, workplaces and tertiary education builds. Our students will learn and work in spaces that allow them to be curious and creative while collaborating with others. The design also allows us to invite our community to share in our learning by providing an exhibition space, a Māori Performing Arts space and larger gathering options for hui and events.

Practically, the remediation works will address the earthquake strengthening, with steel cross beams on all floors and double glazing over much of the ground floor, as seen in the artist's impression. Weather tightness will be addressed along with a new lift and a complete new HVAC system that will regulate the temperature of the block in winter and summer.

The major works require a complete decant of J Block and as our biggest block on the campus, the MOE are providing us with new relocatables to accommodate this. The relocatable classrooms are currently being built especially for TGC, and come fully equipped with whiteboards, projectors, digital device connection, air conditioning, double glazed and tinted windows, carpet on floors and autex on the walls, decking and ramps and an additional ablution block. These classrooms will be in place for the start of 2022. Alongside this our envirohub will move to its forever home in the centre of the school.

Whilst we recognise that relocatables won't be the same as permanent spaces, we also acknowledge that the end product will be amazing. High quality learning and teaching will not be compromised. This project is much bigger than the block and always has been. The team that has worked tirelessly into getting feedback from a range of stakeholders and including visits to others schools has been invaluable. In the end, we all agree, we have an exciting new space to look forward to and which will have cutting edge technology and opportunities to collaborate and to develop cross curricular innovations to occur. WOW!

Our architects, Respond Architects, have provided us with artist impressions to give you a sense of what the new learning and teaching space could look like although colours and other design features are still under discussion. In the meantime, I want to thank all of the current teachers and their classes in Block J for their support in getting teaching and resource spaces packed and ready for the move.