Rethinking School / An innovative destination in North Canterbury
Before it was closed by the Ministry of Education in mid-2014, the local Waikuku School was a bustling and busy hub of the community. Several years later it is once again claiming this title – this time however, as a destination for those with a love of
boutique stores, good coffee and wonderful people.
In 2011 the Ministry of Education made the decision to close 26 schools across Canterbury – amongst them Waikuku School, situated in a small North Canterbury town of 900 people, 35 minutes north of Christchurch. The school was closed shortly after it celebrated its 140th Jubilee in mid2014, with students relocated to form Pegasus Bay School, 10 minutes south along State Highway 1.
By 2016, the once pristine rural school was still standing empty, and appeared as though it had been abandoned. Classroom windows had been broken and boarded up, the weeds were taking over and vandals had left their mark throughout the property. For the close-knit community, seeing their school, a space which had once been the hub of the community, in such a derelict state was disheartening.
Once the Ministry makes the decision to close a school and enter the sale process, the site must first be offered to its original owners and then to iwi before being placed on the open market. And in 2017, much to the relief of locals, the school buildings finally hit the open market. While there was plenty of interest in the buildings as single entities to be relocated offsite, the decision was made that they would be sold as a whole.
Thirteen offers were submitted – including one from local retailers Lisa Willetts of clothing boutique Louis Who and
Sandy Williams of Twine Antiques. ‘I hadn’t given much thought to buying the school,’ laughs Lisa. ‘But then over a drink one night we thought, why not?’ And so the idea for the Old School Collective was born.
The duo have collaborated for a number of years with
Lisa having previously shared Sandy’s space in the Brick Mill complex, just along the road from the school. ‘What began as a pop-up shop for pre-loved clothes in the corner of Sandy’s antique store, morphed into a much bigger venture,’ she continues. ‘One that just continues to grow! Having shared a space for over five years, we knew we could work together, and while it has been a huge amount of work, we haven’t looked back.’
For the vibrant and energy-filled duo their aim was simple: to create a space in which they would want to visit, spend time in and of course shop. ‘We always knew it would be filled with shops,’ continues Lisa. ‘I don’t drive so I selfishly wanted to create a space I could go to and get everything done – what do I need to go into Christchurch for?’
However, translating that aim into a tangible reality was another lengthy process.
Having worked in the construction sector for a number of years, Steve Canavan, Lisa’s husband, was called upon to renovate, repair and essentially revitalise the school in
preparation for its new life as a collective for business owners and a boutique destination.
‘Steve was amazing,’ offers Sandy. ‘We entered into this with no real forethought and he worked tirelessly to get it up and running.’ For just over a year, Steve, alongside Lisa, Sandy and Sandy’s husband Alan, renovated, painted and landscaped the school, transforming it into a beautiful canvas ready for occupancy.
A crisp white interior is found within each of the classrooms, which are now filled with a number of different offerings. Louis Who and Twine Antiques were of course the first two stores to take up residency and have been joined by The Yoga Club, The Health Project, Room Six, Out of the Box Hair Studio, Good Dirt Flowers and WovenVeranda. The Office Café (also run by Lisa) is found in the former school office.
‘We did one Facebook advert,’ describes Lisa, ‘promoting the space and from there it has fallen into place; we only have one space left!’
While there has been plenty of interest in this space, what is particularly important to Sandy and Lisa is the right fit. ‘While we all have to like each other,’ laughs Lisa, ‘it is really important that whoever fills that last spot understands what it is that we are creating here. As a collective it is a great opportunity for new and small businesses to give it a go.
‘But people also get really emotional coming back to the school and seeing how it has been repurposed so we want to make sure we are doing it right, and doing the history of the school justice. We want people to come, experience the space and relax with us.’ A feat that is all too easy to achieve with large bean bags found under the oak trees on sunny days, live music on Sundays and plans for Friday night markets in the pipeline.
Since the official opening of the Old School Collective in late March, the doors of the school have once again been opened to the community – ensuring the legacy of the school has been reshaped to live on for another 140 years. ‘There is no such thing as a soft opening around here,’ laughs Lisa. ‘Our first weekend was busier than our opening day and it just hasn’t stopped!’
Watching Lisa and Sandy describe their journey to this point, it is clearly evident that the last 18 months have been a mammoth undertaking of time and effort, but they have also been an outpouring of passion and design talent, as at every turn there is something new to discover. There is no doubt this is a beautifully curated space in which to while away the day.
The doors of the school have once again been opened to the community – ensuring the legacy of the school has been reshaped to live on for another 140 years.