Parents and pupils make final plea to save school

Supporters of Monte Cecilia, protesting at the city council meeting last night, say plans to oust the Catholic primary school so the adjacent park can be expanded are unfair. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Parents and students of Monte Cecilia School in Hillsborough have made one final plea to Auckland City councillors to save their school.

At a council meeting at the Auckland Town Hall last night, children and their parents sat silently holding placards calling for the Catholic primary to be left alone.

But there were fiery outbursts at times. One supporter who did not sit down when asked to had to be dragged out of the chamber by security guards.

Several councillors in support of the school also made their views known, passionately telling Mayor John Banks to consider other ideas.

The Catholic school, which has occupied its site behind the Pah Homestead with stunning views to Manukau Harbour for more than 50 years, has about 220 pupils.

The council has gradually been acquiring land for Monte Cecilia Park from the church since 2000 and has first right of refusal to buy the school land.

Councillor Cathy Casey, who supports keeping the school within the park, said Monte Cecilia had come to the council many times saying it was not fair - something the council did not care about.

"We've had Auckland ratepayers who have come in giving us other ideas ... We owe it to [Monte Cecilia supporters] to consider these."

Michael Jamieson, spokesman for Friends of Monte - a group formed by concerned parents and teachers - urged councillors to go for another option that would suit not only the school but also the community, the council and future generations.

He said it was unfair that council was focusing more on securing the scenic views in the park rather than on the impact moving the school would have on the community.

A slide-show presentation at the meeting had images of how the area might look if the council chose not to relocate the school, therefore maintaining the "living history" of the area as well as giving the council its much-wanted views of the Manukau Harbour.

The $7.9 million restoration of the homestead to house the $50 million art collection of businessman James Wallace is a pet project of Mayor Banks.

The cost of buying the 1ha site from the Catholic Diocese, building a new school about 2.7km away on land at St John Vianney Church in Hillsborough Rd and moving the retirement village is confidential, but the finance committee chairman has put the cost at between $25 million and $30 million.

City Vision councillors have estimated a bill of $30 million.

The 25-unit Liston village was established by the Archbishop Liston Memorial Foundation in 1982 for people 60 years and over on lower incomes.

The village has 21 single women and one couple occupying 22 units.

All the residents have a licence to occupy, which means that although they do not own the units, they can stay for the rest of their lives.