Upper restoration
Put another plaque on the wall
The restoration of Upper
It is opportune and necessary to develop a world- class turf that will serve generations to come. While Upper may appear to serve the needs of the school, it is in fact a deteriorating site. Having never had drainage or irrigation, it is uneven and slippery, and not useable for approximately 10 weeks of the year for sports or teaching activities. In short, the existing site is showing wear and tear, and in its current state, is unsustainable.
With the development of Upper West – our new multi-purpose sports centre, now is the time to restore Upper.
The restoration The cost of restoring Upper is over $1m. To fund this, we will be holding a Giving Day on 24 November. The restoration aims for a high quality irrigation and drainage system, levelling, new post and rope fencing, widening and realignment of paving on the north, east and south sides of the field, and new lighting.
Giving Day – 24 November 2022 All proceeds will go to the restoration of Upper. Who benefits? This facility will be available to College and the wider community.
How to leave your mark on Upper We will be offering a very limited number of named plaques to be installed on the exterior of Upper West.
These plaques will be donated for $25,000 and will feature your family name and initials of your choosing. You might like to make an individual contribution or a collective one. In recognition of your commitment, you will be acknowledged as a matching donor on our Giving Day.
By participating, you will be continuing a tradition that started in 1922. Your plaque will complement the named plaques already in place on the existing brick wall between Upper and the Botanic Gardens. So, by giving to Upper you become part of College history and your commitment to College will be recognised by generations to come. Making a difference
To donate to the Upper restoration, please contact Shelley Keach Senior Development Manager skeach@christscollege.com 027 807 0539
The history of the Upper brick wall
Initially backed by Old Boys in 1919, the original Upper wall was supported by the Board of Governors and the Domain Board. Post-World War I, the importance of building that original brick wall and seating – between the Botanic Gardens and Upper – was underlined by the decision to move the annual College versus Christchurch Boys’ High School Rugby match to the Showgrounds in Addington because of a lack of seating for spectators. While the Old Boys had quickly committed to the proposed brick wall – and donations were forthcoming – its erection was delayed until 1922. Prior to building the wall, a CCOBA sub-committee had to navigate a lack of wall materials – especially cement – and the cost of the project. It also had decided to prioritise contributions to a War Memorial Fund.
In October 1922, tenders for the Upper brick wall were finally opened and the lowest – from bricklayer A Lemmon for £687 – was accepted. It was then suggested that the wall would need strengthening to account for the proposed seating. In January 1923, the completed wall bays were numbered from the eastern end, with the location of names – representing each donation – allocated by ballot. Further donations to Upper were recognised, with more names added into the 1950s. In total, about 70 families contributed to the original Upper wall, with multiple plaques – and familiar names – still on the wall today.
E: info@christscollege.com T: +64 3 366 8705 www.christscollege.com
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