Response: Inaccuracies about the Grey High Music & Arts Centre

Response to post – Tipping Point: Grey High Gym Makes Way for a R15m Music & Arts Centre

There are a plethora of inaccuracies in the article.  The cost of the Music and Arts Centre (which will also cater for other important needs of the School) is considerably more than R15 million.  The decision to build the Centre and enhance the School’s renowned music programme, which is enjoyed by somewhere in the region of 120 active musicians, did not come at the “expense of the school gym”.  The building of the Centre was deemed critical because of the marked deterioration of the local Feather Market Centre and made possible only because two Old-Greys generously gave R12m specifically to get this critical and long-outstanding project off the ground.

The School does not have a gymnasium which has now lost out to a Music and Arts Centre.  It has a room with weights which is hardly fit for purpose.  Learners who are in the various senior rugby squads attend a fully-fledged local gym which generously supports the School’s rugby programme.  This notwithstanding, plans are well progressed in designing a new state-of-the-art High-Performance Centre that will cater for, not only rugby, but also other sporting disciplines at the School, including cricket, rowing, water polo, etc.  Various concept plans have already been drawn by the School’s architects in this regard.  The Centre is intended to include a fully functional gym.  The Grey Foundation has already committed R5m to the project.  Hopefully, Old-Greys who love rugby and wish to support the School’s rugby programme will come forward and help fund this particular project.

The averment that Grey’s sporting facilities are no longer a source of pride is false and damaging to the School’s reputation.  One need only drive passed the School’s campus to see the brilliant condition of the grounds.  In terms of building, maintaining and enhancing the School’s sporting facilities, this is largely made possible by the generosity of Old-Greys and the Grey Foundation.  There is no doubt that the building of a High-Performance Centre is a priority, hence the committed funding from the Grey Foundation and the further efforts that are being made to proceed with this project.

Reference is made in your article about deteriorating rugby statistics since the current headmaster took over.  This bald statement is simply nonsense and whatever the results, they have nothing to do with the current headmaster or any decisions taken by the School’s leadership (whether internally or by the SGB).  Whilst it is so that the School’s First XV finished a disappointing 19^th on the SA School Sports rankings at the end of 2024, the u16A team finished 8^th, the u15A team finished 6^th and the u14A team finished 15^th.  In so far as the First XV of 2024 is concerned, it is perhaps necessary to mention that this senior group commenced at the School in 2020 and played almost no rugby when they were u14 and u15. Nor was this group bolstered by any bursary recruits at any time.  Moreover, unlike many of their competitors who have substantially larger numbers to draw from, learners are required to play both a summer and winter sport.  This creates challenges in getting learners fully prepared for the rugby season, but they do have the benefit of enjoying a more rounded education on the sports field.  This notwithstanding, in 2024 the First XV ran both Paul Roos Gym (No.1) and Grey College (No. 2) fairly close in what proved to be highly competitive and entertaining encounters.

In so far as the alleged lack of financial support for the School from old-Greys is concerned, this could not be further from the truth.  The Grey Foundation, which serves to support the School through the Old-Grey community, has been phenomenal in recent years.  Notwithstanding the pandemic, the deterioration in the local economy and various other factors that have militated against securing donor funding, the Grey Foundation has increased contributions from Old-Greys by more than 60% year on year over the past 5 years.  This has been made possible by the increasing generosity of the Old-Grey community with which the School has been blessed.

The author of the article in question has ventured into critical territory without a firm grasp of the facts, opting instead for assumptions and uninformed commentary.  While it’s apparent that the writer possesses a genuine passion for the School and its rugby programme, the reckless dissemination of such inaccuracies does nothing but harm the School’s reputation.  It is disappointing that anyone, particularly an Old-Grey, would resort to anonymous, unfounded critiques on a social media platform.  This approach not only undermines the writer’s credibility but also does a disservice to the longstanding legacy and communal spirit of Grey.