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The Spike [: or, Victoria University College Review 1957]

The Site

The Site

The nucleus of the College site is what has been described as "six vertical acres." These six acres (actually 6 acres, 1 rood, 35 perches) were acquired in 1902 after protracted and complicated negotiations with the City Council, the Wellington College Governors, the hospital trustees and the Government, and they constitute the northern portion of the present main site. It is on these original six acres that the College's permanent teaching and administrative buildings have so far been placed.

Shortly after World War II the whole question of the College site was examined very fully by the College Council. It was apparent that the original six acres would be much too restricted for the future needs of the College. Negotiations were entered into with the Government and the City Council and as a result thirteen acres to the immediate south of the six acres were in 1949 vested in the College. A considerable part of these thirteen acres possessed the quality of vertically in even greater degree than the original six acres. Fortunately between 1902 and 1949 there had been a marked improvement in earthmoving devices and that improvement has continued.

Since 1949 several small areas have been acquired. In 1951 the land and house at 20 Kelburn Parade was purchased with the aid of a Government grant. In 1955 two small areas of land, which adjoined the Catholic cemetery and which had been occupied by the College for nearly fifty years without formal title, were by Act of Parliament vested in the College. 48 Kelburn Parade was, in 1956, acquired by the Government for the College. In the same year arrangements were made with the City Council whereby the area of city land on which the Geology and Geography huts are situated will be made available to the College for tennis courts when the huts are removed.