Some of the swimmers who took part in Sunday’s pond swim on a Hinds farm. Photo Robyn HoodSwimmers swapped the comfort of an indoor pool for the challenge of a pond on a Hinds farm on Sunday.

The Ashburton Masters Swimmers group hosted an open water swim which was invitation only, and spokesperson Helen Argyle said the event had proven hugely popular, with some brilliant feedback having been received.

There were two distance options – one lap or two laps of the pond – and of those who did the 1.8km two lap event Sarah Parker was the quickest, covering the distance in 28.56 minutes, with Tamara Grant second in 29.41 minutes.

Ashburton’s Sarah O’Grady was next in 36.41 minutes, with another Ashburtonian – Stephen Mealings – next in 37.33 minutes.

He was followed by Rolleston woman Hannah Drury, who just over a year ago swam across Lake Taupo. She finished in 38.44 minutes.

Eileen Pullar, Lindy Miller and Mike Hansen were the next three home.

An Ashburton swimmer was the fastest through the water in the one lap event, too, with Alison Fleming covering the distance in 19.40 minutes, followed by Sally Kemp just two seconds later.

They were followed by Lesley McGlimpsey, Sam Hannifin, Roger Wilson and Emily Bell.

Argyle said that swimmers from Ashburton, Christchurch and Timaru took part in the event, which wouldn’t have been possible without the farm owners, Laurence and Gaye Thompson.

© The Ashburton Guardian - 19 March 2019

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with two very happy Ashburtonians, College Principal Ross Preece and Ashburton Mayor Donna Favel.At Ashburton College yesterday morning, senior students were anxiously tidying their hair, straightening ties and desperately trying to pretend they weren’t nervous about greeting the guest about to walk through the school’s front door.

Her limousine pulled up, Prime Minsiter Jacinda Ardern stepped out and formality immediately went out the window.

She smiled, shook hands with staff, students, Ministry of Education officials and board of trustee members and that was the last traditional moment.

Ardern was at the college to announce the government’s commitment to fund a $50 million rebuild, but she was far more interested in touring the campus and talking to students.

Head students William Wallace and Mollie Gibson and deputy head boy Carl Cayanan stepped up as tour guides, with principal Ross Preece in tow.

Their job was to ensure the PM was shown the college’s buildings at their worst, the leaks, the cracks, the makeshift cooling and heating systems.

First stop the college library, well known for its leaky roof.

“We have buckets strategically placed, when it rains we know exactly where they should be placed,” Preece said.

That drew a laugh from Ardern but she wasn’t to be outdone on the leaky roof.

“We have one of those in premier house too,” she said.

She talked to students in the library and they didn’t hold back when they told her about the difficulties that came with working in a leaking library.

And then it was on to another classroom where the problems of poor ventilation and even poorer systems of blocking out light to make words visible on a screen were demonstrated.

Ardern agreed, but her focus was on the students.

She wanted a selfie, that quickly turned into a mass photo opportunity.

The impromptu photoshoot made the students’ day, but it clearly also meant a lot to Ardern as she patiently framed up with group after group of students – and adults.

Next stop was a class of Year 9 students.

They were clearly overawed to have the PM walk through the door. Probably for the first time that morning they were speechless.

When asked what they wanted changed at their school, what was missing, they were stuck for words, but when Ardern asked if they wanted a renovation or a rebuild, the answer was unanimous – rebuild please.

“The fact that you guys have to have your school meetings on the quad, is that good, what happens if it’s raining? Looks like there’s a bit of a gap there,” she said.

One brave student raised a hand.

“It would be good to have some air conditioning,” she said.

“And some heating’s needed,” another student said.

Ardern looked around the room, spotted electric fans tied to window frames and agreed.

“Some of this is pretty creative air conditioning,” she said.

Teacher Graham Bock didn’t hold back.

“It needs to be modernised, it needs to be a place the students can be proud of,” he told the PM.

“Well we’re going to give you a pretty massive rebuild of your school and we’ll build the classroom space you need,” she replied.

A Year 11 English class were more forthcoming.

The school was freezing in the winter and too hot in the summer, they said.

“Well I’m here to look at your buildings, what you do have and what you don’t have.

“Your library looks like it leaks, you can’t have school assemblies indoors so maybe we should give you an auditorium,” Ardern said.

With 11am set as the time for news of the $50 million investment to be released, Ardern checked the classroom clock and decided not to wait for the formal gathering in the school staff room.

“We’re here because we want to have the best possible place to learn and the best possible teachers.

“We’re basically going to rebuild your school.

“It’ll take a couple of years and quite a lot of money so we’re giving you $50 million.”

There was a stunned silence in the classroom while the news sank in.

Teacher Michael Clark was all smiles, knowing he’d heard the news before his peers.

As she crossed the quad, Ardern stopped to tie a balloon to the leg of a student taking part in a peer support activity, before she headed to the staff room.

There she could have been another teacher as she made her own cup of coffee, chatted to staff, talked to a staff member’s baby and did what she does best, mixed and mingled.

And then she stepped up to the lectern and told Clark because he’d had advance notice, he could make the announcement.

“It’s $50 million,” he said.

The staff room erupted.

Ardern joked that she had had an anxious moment after asking him to call the numbers – what if he’d added an extra zero?

By Sue Newman © The Ashburton Guardian - 15 March 2019

Ashburton College head girl Mollie Gibson leads the way for MPs Andrew Falloon and Jo Luxton, with the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Photos Jaime Pitt-MacKayA $50 million Government investment will see Ashburton College demolished and a new school built on the college site.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was in town yesterday to announce the major redevelopment deal and said the college would then be set up to accommodate the roll growth that would come  with its rapidly growing population.

After touring the campus with senior staff and student executive members, Ardern said it was clear the school was in a poor condition and that a significant upgrade was required.

“I’ve seen the environment you work in and you’ve been left a little wanting in Ashburton,” she said.

“You walk into your library and it’s a bit like walking into an old pizza hut with buckets laid out around the room.”

The college had been promised new buildings for some time, but that time had finally arrived and with the $50 million investment, Ardern said the Government was confident the college environment would be the best it could possibly be.

“It will take a couple of years for a project of this scale, but we hope at the end of it you’ll have the modern learning environment you deserve.”

Her announcement was greeted with applause and cheers from teaching staff.

While it was education minister Chris Hipkins’ first visit to the school, he said he had seen plenty of photos that told the story of its physical state.

“These concrete block cells are a very old-fashioned way of thinking about education and I’m really excited about finally being able to give them this money,” he said.

There is nothing you can do to modernise these buildings.

With concrete cells it was better to demolish than try to refit and reconfigure.

A huge amount of work had already been done by the school to get the rebuild project to this point, but the real journey was only just beginning, Hipkins said.

Principal Ross Preece could not stop smiling.

Having the money committed to a rebuild of his school was the best gift any school community could receive, he said.

“It’s fair to say I’m pretty excited, but the hard work’s only beginning.

“The key now is in the planning.

“The indication from the ministry is that this is a total rebuild, except for the two gymnasiums, and they’re absolutely committed to the rebuild.”

Preece said that while he had done some preliminary design work in his head, that work would be done by the experts with input from the college.

“For us flexible spaces are key and indoor outdoor flow, a variety of spaces and specialist classrooms and single cell environments too.

“We’re looking at a mixture and because it’s such a huge project we will have these options.

“We have input into what we want, but it would be a foolish principal who thought they could design a new school.”

He anticipates this year will be spent planning the rebuild, with procurement to follow. As a total project, however, it could be a five-year build.

“If we were moved into the initial stages by the start of 2022 I’d be pleasantly surprised. Ministry property moves slowly, but they produce a good product.”

The college is now at maximum capacity with no spare classrooms, but it was fortunate to have vacant land on which the first stage of the new complex could be built, Preece said.

That land includes the horticultural block, parking areas that were once the community pool precinct and the land on which Menorlue and Phoenix Preschool are sited.

The Menorlue building will be relocated ahead of the rebuild.

“We have a couple of community organisations who could be interested and we’d gift it to them to move off the site,” he said.

It was vital to retain Phoenix Preschool on the college campus, but whether the new school was built around this or the preschool was relocated to another part of the campus had not been decided.

“But that preschool is absolutely a godsend for us and we must keep it.”

The rebuild of Ashburton College will provide 64 new classrooms and will add extra non-teaching space.

It will provide space for 1350 students and the site will be prepared for a roll of 1600 to accommodate forecast future growth.

Currently the college has a roll of 1150.

By Sue Newman © The Ashburton Guardian - 14 March 2019