Multi-million-dollar upgrade for The Gardens School

&NewLine;<p><img class&equals;" alignright size-full wp-image-1150" src&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;schoolnewsnz&period;fastrackdev&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2014&sol;11&sol;SND09-wk1-Gardens&lowbar;School-&lowbar;-Nikki&lowbar;Kaye&lowbar;186x140&period;jpg" alt&equals;"SND09-wk1-Gardens School- -Nikki Kaye 186x140" style&equals;"margin&colon; 5px&semi; float&colon; right&semi;" width&equals;"186" height&equals;"140" &sol;>Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye have confirmed a multi-million-dollar upgrade for The Gardens School in Manurewa&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p> <&excl;--more--> <&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Ms Parata said the redevelopment was expected to cost up to &dollar;22 million and was a significant commitment to the school and its community&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;This will help ensure The Gardens is a school where the kids from the local community can continue to get a great education&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;The upgrade is part of the Government&&num;8217&semi;s plan to create modern learning environments that are safe&comma; connected and fit for purpose&comma; and that are really inspiring both the teachers and their students&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;The redeveloped school will have teaching spaces for up to 700 kids&comma; as well as a new administration block and upgraded hall&comma;&&num;8221&semi; Ms Parata said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Ms Kaye said investigations found the majority of The Gardens School existing buildings had significant weather-tightness and structural issues&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;The school is effectively being completely rebuilt&period; This school is one of around 30 around the country identified as having the most complex infrastructure issues&period; The Government is investing approximately &dollar;300 million in major redevelopments at those schools over the next six years&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;This is one of the largest redevelopments because of the need to fix the weather-tightness issues but also to plan for growth in the Manurewa area&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;The school has been operating from a number of temporary classrooms&comma; and I want to thank staff and the community for their continuing patience&comma;&&num;8221&semi; Ms Kaye said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Construction is expected to begin next year and be completed in 2017&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;