A new cultural centre and newly renovated library were celebrated at a gala evening at Bergvliet High School on Friday October 12.
The high school was built in 1955 and 1956 to serve the population of Bergvliet and the newly developed Meadowridge. Bergvliet Primary School had already been built.
Bergvliet High’s first Grade 8 class of 1978 was enrolled in 1957 with PAM (Phillip Albert Myburgh) van der Spuy as its first headmaster with two assistant teachers.
The buildings were officially opened on March 15 1957 by then minister of education Norman Henshilwood .
Since then, additions to the school have been carried out including a gym hall, the wrought-iron main gates, the bicycle shed, computer room, the score box cum tea kiosk, the media centre, the walkway and foyer, the tuckshop and the equipment for the hall.
Chairman of the present school governing body, Desmond Murphy, said the new cultural centre had been a dream for many years and was tied in with the Astroturf, opened in 2012.
“When approaching our 60th year, we looked at our wish list and decided to build something that would stand out, so that people driving past would see the fruits of our efforts,” said Mr Murphy.
Ex art teacher Nerina de Villiers recalled a time when prefabs stood on the site of the new building.
A book commemorating the building process shows the foundations being laid in October 2017 with the second floor being constructed in December.
The upper floor is the art centre, which is presently exhibiting art by matrics.
The ground floor has a kitchen, toilet, office and seven music studios, each individually furnished and including double doors for the “drum” room.
