Closed school ‘looks awful’
Pareora residents are frustrated by the lack of maintenance at the township’s now closed Timaru South School campus.
Four months after the 111-year-old school closed, grass is overgrown, netball and basketball courts have been vandalised, and the swimming pool has been drained and fenced off.
Pareora resident Yvonne Pringle is concerned about the state of the school and says other residents share her views.
‘‘The school is derelict. It just looks awful,’’ she said.
She pleaded with authorities to maintain the former school.
‘‘All we’re asking for is it to be tidy. When it’s derelict like this in the middle of a residential area, it cannot be any good, and will attract vermin.’’
The news last year that the school would close was met with concern by residents who feared the school would be left to to rack and ruin.
At the school’s final prizegiving, Timaru District councillor Steve Wills said the council promised to look after the lawns and area around the playground.
Pringle accused Wills of not keeping that promise.
Wills, however, said the site was still owned by the Ministry of Education and in January had told council the ministry would maintain the land – ‘‘albeit not to the same standard as when the school was there’’.
‘‘This means that we as a council have to take a step back to the sidelines while the ministry works through this.’’
Wills said the council taking over the upkeep of the property would be tantamount to trespassing, and it was also disappointed by the lack of concern for the land.
‘‘We had every intention of following through on the maintenance of the school but were overruled by the ministry who have the legal right and ownership of the school land.
‘‘The ministry have got to walk the talk and actually take some responsibility for the land.’’
The ministry’s head of education infrastructure Kim Shannon denied it is responsible for the upkeep.
‘‘The campus site is owned by the Crown and administered by the ministry. The site is currently being managed by Land Information New Zealand on behalf of the ministry.
‘‘This is normal practice pending a decision about whether or not the site should be retained for future education use.’’
Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said ‘‘residents have every reason to be angry. They have lost their school and are now stuck with this eyesore’’.
‘‘When it’s derelict like this in the middle of a residential area, it cannot be any good, and will attract vermin.’’
Yvonne Pringle