Past and present students, teachers, and staff of Linwood College came together over the weekend for the Farewell Celebration of the soon to be demolished school buildings on Aldwins Road.
The demolition and rebuild of Linwood College is the Ministry of Education's biggest building project in Canterbury, set to cost $44 million dollars.
During the two-to-three years the rebuild will take to complete, the school is relocating to Avonside Girls' High School's empty site.
Principal Richard Edmundson said the school is lucky to have this opportunity.
"Every one of their post-earthquake prefabs are better than our current buildings."
The school has remained mostly unchanged since it opened in 1954, and when asked what the students are most looking forward to about the new buildings, Principal Edmundson's answer was surprisingly practical.
"When I told them there are heat pumps in every room, I almost got a standing ovation. Our old boiler doesn't reach the chemistry classrooms!"
Principal Edmundson said it was very special to see past students connecting with old classmates, and walking around the buildings for the last time.
“Wonderful lives have been built and created through this school and we look forward to carrying this tradition into the school’s future.
"We believe in a strong Linwood College, for a strong east of Christchurch, for a strong Christchurch.”
