1947 days ago

$3m repair bill at old school: Cables stripped, windows smashed, ceiling torn down

Jake Kenny Reporter from Community News

Vandals have ransacked an empty Christchurch school building, despite the Ministry of Education spending $80,000 on security and fencing.

Cables were stripped, windows smashed, carpets ripped up and a suspended ceiling torn down at the former Shirley Boys’ High School site.

The vandals caused a $3 million repair bill at the old school site, potentially derailing plans for nearby Banks Avenue School to take over the property.

The North Pde building became empty when Shirley Boys’ moved to a new purpose-built school in New Brighton in May 2019.

A deal would have meant Banks Avenue School – which currently does not have a hall – could have used the gym, while sports clubs and community groups could have hired the venue and outdoor pitches in the evenings.

However, the mindless wrecking-spree could mean the property will be bulldozed, if the ministry decides it will cost too much to repair it to meet building regulations.

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More messages from your neighbours
17 hours ago

Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑

Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.

We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?

Want to read more? The Press has you covered!

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🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
  • 58.5% Human-centred experience and communication
    58.5% Complete
  • 13.6% Critical thinking
    13.6% Complete
  • 24.5% Resilience and adaptability
    24.5% Complete
  • 3.4% Other - I will share below!
    3.4% Complete
147 votes
1 day ago

Brain Teaser of the Day 🧠✨ Can You Solve It? 🤔💬

The Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

Make a hearty dish. Take just half a minute. Add four parts of kestrel. Then just add one. What have you made?

(Trev from Silverdale kindly provided this head-scratcher ... thanks, Trev!)

Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!

Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed? No worries! Simply head here and click once on the Following button.

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8 days ago

Poll: Should the government levy industries that contribute to financial hardship?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

As reported in the Post, there’s a $30 million funding gap in financial mentoring. This has led to services closing and mentors stepping in unpaid just to keep helping people in need 🪙💰🪙

One proposed solution? Small levies on industries that profit from financial hardship — like banks, casinos, and similar companies.

So we want to hear what you think:
Should the government ask these industries to contribute?

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Should the government levy industries that contribute to financial hardship?
  • 59.7% Yes, supporting people is important!
    59.7% Complete
  • 26.3% No, individuals should take responsibility
    26.3% Complete
  • 14.1% ... It is complicated
    14.1% Complete
1217 votes