Ahead of the move to the new Ayr Academy, staff, students and the public are being invited to remember the school’s historic roots. An open day is being held towards the end of term to mark the building’s enduring role as a community focal point.
There has been a school on the Fort Street site since 1233, with the current Ayr Academy built in 1880. Extensions were added in 1907 (Art wing) and in 1937 (Science wing) but the school is now ready to relocate to its new home at Craigie Estate. To mark the transition, an open day will be held in the old Ayr Academy building on 10 June 2017 between 11:00am and 3:00pm. Pictures of the old school will also be on display in a special exhibition, alongside designs for the new school. People will get the opportunity to look around the building, with guided tours and light refreshments and performances from the school choir. Donald Gilles, South Ayrshire Council’s Head of Property and Risk said the event marks an important period for the school, “Generations of families and tens and thousands of people have been educated at Ayr Academy, and this is a fitting time to mark the end of one era and the start of another. “With staff and students transferring to the new building in August the quality of education facilities will be transformed, while there are existing plans which, if approved, will see the Fort Street building refurbished as the new home of Ayr Grammar Primary. “I’m sure the local community will want to come along and have a last look around the old building in its current form, as we prepare for an exciting new chapter in the site’s long and productive history.”