Call to use closed school as community youth hub

Clare Curran
Clare Curran
Concerns Corstorphine School may end up as a structure for vandals to play in has prompted South Dunedin MP Clare Curran to call for the facility to be used as a community hub for youth activities.

The school was given permission by the Ministry of Education to voluntarily close at the end of the term on July 2.

Ms Curran has written to a range of community organisations, including the local Pacific Island community, schools, community groups, local businesses, Ngai Tahu, the Dunedin City Council, Dunedin Police and the Ministry of Education to suggest a community-led discussion about how Corstorphine could be better served.

Ms Curran said the last thing she wanted to see was the school vandalised or put on the market for private sale.

"The loss of Corstorphine School is a blow to the local community and will leave a gap which could be filled by vandalism and other destructive behaviour in that community.

"Corstorphine deserves a local facility to build constructive relationships and a stronger sense of community.

"Whether it's going to work in Corstorphine, I don't know. It could have multiple uses as a community facility.

"I'm open to ideas from the community."

Ms Curran said it was not often a piece of Crown land came up for community use, and believed the city and the Ministry of Education had a responsibility to ensure the community was well served, even though it was losing its school.

Ministry of Education Property group manager Paul Burke said disposal of the buildings at Corstorphine School would follow the standard sequential steps for Government property.

The first step was to consult other Government agencies as to their interest.

Then would be consultation with other local authorities to see if they were interested in using the site.

The third step would be offering the property to the former owners or their willed successors.

If there was no interest, the property would be offered to Ngai Tahu.

Assessment by the Office of Treaty Settlements would follow to determine any claim-specific or individual interest in the property.

If no other interest in the school was found, it would be put up for sale on the open property market, he said.

A spokesman for Education Minister Anne Tolley said no decision had been made yet and the set process was being followed.

 

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