Building their future | Renewal project commences
They might not have fully appreciated it, but when three young Trinitarians dug spades into the lush turf of No 3 Oval they were launching the building not only of their own academic futures but potentially thousands of others.
The appearance of Adam K (KYo), Lachlan M (1Ta) and Asher B (2Ta) as honorary workmen at the earth-breaking ceremony for the Renewal Project could not have been more symbolic.
They, and many more like them to follow, are the reason the Herculean venture is being undertaken.
As Richard Pegg, Chairman of Trinity’s School Council, remarked: “Ultimately it’s all about the boys. This will help the School realise its mission of delivering a thoroughly Christian education in mind, body and spirit.
“What an exciting day and a wonderful occasion.”
The Renewal Project has been three years in the planning, and will be three more in the execution.
By any measure, it is the biggest project in Trinity’s 109-year history.
“It is creating spaces in which boys can grow to be men,” said Head Master Tim Bowden.
“Those spaces are going to be creative spaces, teaching and learning spaces, sporting spaces. It’s really about creating an environment in which our education can be delivered.
“These boys, and those to follow in a decade, two decades, three decades beyond them, will benefit from what we are doing over the next two or three years.
“This is far and away the most ambitious project the School has ever taken on – by dollar value, by size and the amount of building. This is the biggest one we have done in one hit like this.
“We know that education is not about the buildings. They are an enabling factor rather than a guarantee or a measure of the quality of education we deliver. But this will certainly enable us to continue to deliver the education we want to.”
He said Trinity was taking the long view.
“Schools take a long time for change to roll through, and we won’t see full delivery for another three years. But the changes, once made, will last for a very long time, and so we are very pleased to be at this point.”
The benefits would begin to be felt, however, by early next year.
“The quadrangle will have been refurbished, there will be a new pedestrian access next to the chapel, the car park underneath where we stand now will be completed, everything on this western side of the School will be made new.”
He said some disruption was inevitable, but would be kept to a minimum.
Trinity staff and students were joined at the project launch by executives from Project Managers Bloompark-Pact PM and builders Hansen Yuncken, whose Chairman David Beslich said: “Today is about partnerships and relationships, as we look to share this journey with you.”
Mr Bowden thanked many people involved in the project, including Martin Cook, School Council secretary and Chairman of the Renewal Project Executive Steering Committee, whose expertise in the construction industry “helped us to get to this point”.
To ensure Trinity carries on with “business as usual”, work on the Renewal Project is being carried out in stages.
The centrepiece – a new five-storey building in the heart of the Summer Hill campus – won’t start for some time.
