More Info →Demolition of gymnasium, Hokowhitu Campus

Description

 Pictured is the demolition of the gymnasium and playing courts at the former Massey Hokowhitu Campus / Teachers College. They are being replaced by a housing subdivision. 

The gym was noted to be state of the art during its time. Martial arts classes were run from it before demolition.  

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Tertiary education came to Hokowhitu in 1959/1960 when the new Victoria University’s Palmerston North University College established an extramural centre at Caccia Birch. The homestead was used while the first campus buildings, notably Mataamua, were constructed.

In 1963, the college joined with Massey who eventually moved all extramural services to the Turitea campus across the river. In 1969, the Government decided that Mataamua and its outbuildings would be shared between the Manawatū Polytechnic and The Palmerston North Teachers College, which was previously on Princess Street. The institutions shared the campus during from the 70s until the 90s. 

The campus’ Marae, Te Kupenga o te Mātauranga Marae, was planned as early as 1974, and construction was finished in 1980. This was the first Marae on any tertiary campus in the country. It was built on the site of a former Rangitane settlement / Pā. 

Much of the remaining campus’ buildings were constructed in the 1970s, with the Tower Block opened in 1982. The teaching college moved into the Tower Block during this year, leaving only the Polytech in Mataamua. Both institutes shared other buildings. 

The complex behind the Marae, called Te Haonui, was completed 1990. This provided students with Māori education opportunities. 

In 1995, the Polytech began to move out of the campus due to the growing lack of space. They later become UCOL on Princess Street. Massey acquired the Teaching College in 1996, and renamed it the College of Education. The University refurbished the campus about this time. 

Between 2008 and 2012, Massey shifted staff and students out of the Campus to the Turitea Campus. The Hokowhitu buildings were deemed highly earthquake prone during this time. The University sold the campus in 2016 to Wallace Development, who are turning it into a housing subdivision. The remaining campus buildings will be demolished by stage 3 of this subdivision.    

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Date

March 2021