The Christchurch School of Music (CSM) is returning to its former home on the Catholic cathedral site in Christchurch’s city centre.
A complex of four portable buildings will be built by the Catholic diocese on land it recently purchased on the corner of Barbadoes St and Ferry Rd.
The buildings will then be leased to the school.
Catholic diocese property and development manager Keith Beal said, “We want to step up our role in adding to the vibrancy of the city.”
“This is about generating a buzz. This is the diocese playing its part in the recovery of Christchurch.”
“We have been a silent force for four years.”
“That has been about planning.”
“We are ready to move now.”
For 17 years the CSM’s home was in the former convent for the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions, but the building had to be pulled down after the earthquakes.
Since then the school’s office has been in temporary facilities in Waltham Road.
Beal said that in the long term, they hope to build something more permanent for the school on the site.
The school, which has about 800 students, has not had a permanent home since the 2011 earthquakes destroyed their former building on Barbadoes St.
Expensive musical instruments and a large collection of sheet music are currently stored in a warehouse with no temperature control.
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