Irongate Kindergarten

lrongate Kindergarten

Plans for a third kindergarten in Flaxmere were announced in February 1976, after a section was to be made available next to lrongate School in Walton Way. Messrs Flaus, Sanko and Unwin were asked to organise an establishment committee.  This was formed in March 1976, and the kindergarten would be known as lrongate.

The kindergarten was planned to be opened later in 1976, and by April an application was made to have lrongate Kindergarten placed on the Government building waiting list.

Fundraising continued throughout 1976, with shrubs being sold, and firewood chopped and delivered. 295

News was received in February 1977 that the Government had given permission to build lrongate Kindergarten as soon as plans were approved by the Hawke’s Bay Education Board. Some delays in finalising plans, which were to be standardised for all kindergartens in New Zealand, were greeted with a sigh of relief as the establishment committee needed more time to raise funds for the building.

The cost of building lrongate Kindergarten‘s premises was approximately $50,000 – of which $10,000 had to be supplied to the Hawke’s Bay Education Board before tenders were accepted. A shortfall of $3,000 existed, and similar to Ellen Stevenson Kindergarten, funds were borrowed from the other kindergartens to cover this deficit.

The second public meeting in regard to lrongate Kindergarten was held on 7 March 1978. Parents enrolled their children at this meeting, and at the third to follow in April.

Hastings last free kindergarten – lrongate – was opened on 16 July 1978.

1928   Mrs T H Lowry
1929   Mrs G Crompton-Smith
1930   Mrs F L Baumgart
1931   Mrs J E Bauchop
1932   Mrs J E Bauchop
1933   Mrs J E Bauchop
1934   Mrs J E Bauchop
1935   Mrs J E Bauchop
1936   Mrs J Wilson
1937   Mrs J Wilson
1938   Mrs J Wilson
1939   Mrs J Wilson
1940   Mrs J Wilson
1941   Mrs J Wilson
1942   Mrs J Wilson
1943   Mrs J Wilson
1944   Mrs J Wilson
1945   Mrs J Wilson
1946   Mrs J Wilson
1947   Mrs J Wilson
1948   Mrs J Wilson
1949   Mrs J Wilson
1950   Mrs J Wilson
1951   Mrs C P Hopkins
1952   Mrs L R Winter
1953   Mrs L R Winter
1954   Mrs L R Winter
1955   Mrs R Stevenson
1956   Mrs R Stevenson
1957   Mrs R Stevenson
1958   Mrs E J Duff
1959   Mrs E J Duff
1960   Mrs E J Duff
1961   Mrs J Bonisch
1963   Mr C D Fleury
1964   Mr C D Fleury
1965   Mr C D Fleury
1966   Mr C D Fleury
1967   Mr C D Fleury
1968   Mr John McCormick
1969   Mr John McCormick
1970   Mr John McCormick
1971   Mr McKay
1972   Mr A E Flaus
1973   Mr A E Flaus
1974   Mr A E Flaus
1975   Mr A E Flaus
1976   Mr A E Flaus
1977   Mr R Unwin
1978   Mr R Unwin
1979   Barbara Walker
1980   Richard Sanko
1981   Richard Sanko
1982   Richard Sanko
1983   Richard Sanko
1984   Patrick Dingemans
1985   Ian Varcoe
1986   Mark Walwyn
1987   Jane Goodacre
1988   Jane Goodacre
1989   Jane Goodacre
1990   Jane Goodacre
1991   Jane Goodacre
1992   Lorraine Beal
1993   Lorraine Beal
1994   Lorraine Beal
1995   Rose Hegarty
1996   Louise Simons
1997   Louise Simons
1998   Louise Simons
1999   Louise Simons
2000   Louise Addis
2001   Louise Addis
2002   Sue Hewitt
2003   Joyce Clark
2004   Joyce Clark
2005   Joyce Clark
2006   Joyce Clark
2007   Joyce Clark
2008   Joyce Clark

125

Featured HB Names:

A E Flaus

Richard Sanko

R Unwin

Mrs T H Lowry

Mrs B Crompton-Smith

Mrs F L Baumgart

Mrs J E Bauchop

Mrs J Wilson

Mrs C P Hopkins

Mrs L R Winter

Mrs R Stevenson

Mrs E J Duff

Mrs J Bonisch

C D Fleury

John McCormick

Mr McKay

Barbara Walker

Patrick Dingemans

Ian Varcoe

Mark Walwyn

Jane Goodacre

Lorraine Beal

Rose Hegarty

Louise Simons

Louise Addis

Sue Hewitt

Joyce Clark