Parkvale School principal Mark Gifkins and caretaker Pete Ashdown with a couple of younger pupils standing over the 75th Jubilee time capsule which was unsurfaced by Ashdown. Photo / Supplied
Parkvale School principal Mark Gifkins and caretaker Pete Ashdown with a couple of younger pupils standing over the 75th Jubilee time capsule which was unsurfaced by Ashdown. Photo / Supplied
Parkvale School staff and students are eagerly speculating about what might be inside a 75th jubilee time capsule discovered on school grounds.
The time capsule was found under the soil in a garden near the principal's office.
Principal Mark Gifkins said the school had changed a lot since the timecapsule was buried in the ground and it was not easy to locate.
"It's interesting how buildings were built around it, to maintain the integrity of the contents and of the time capsule.
"The whole area outside is concrete except for the little garden outside the principal's office."
Laying down of the Parkvale School's 75th jubilee timecapsule. Photo /Supplied.
The school staff room, the administration area, the principal's office and the sick bay was in a different area when the time capsule was buried.
"We received many conflicting suggestions about where it might have been but they came to no fruition," Gifkins said.
"It became hard for our current committee to work out where exactly the time capsule was using the only evidence they had which were the old photographs."
The discovery was made by "proactive caretaker" Pete Ashdown, who took matters into his own hands when the question about its whereabouts arose, Gifkins said.
Parkvale School is holding its centenary celebrations on Queen's Birthday weekend.
75th jubilee time capsule discovered at Parkvale School. Photo /Supplied.
Opening the lid, to reveal its contents, will be a hard task and will require heavy-duty stuff.
"It has been glued on so tight that we have to get a hacksaw to get the lid off.
"That way we can control the movement. It's much better than using a grinder."
The time capsule will be checked to ensure the items inside have lasted the past 25 years.
It will then be reopened on June 1, at our Centennial official opening morning at Parkvale School.
"Our aim is to add to the time capsule items over the last 25 years and reseal it for the next 125th celebration," Gifkins said.
