Latest News
Spotlight on Staff BRIAN RIORDAN PROPERTY MANAGER
When did you start working at Brigidine College?
At the end of Term 2 we farewelled Brian Riordan, our Property Manager who has been with the College for 16 years.
July 2005. In those days I’d had my own business, a marine boat trimmings workshop down at Kirribilli, on the harbour foreshore. However, I had a nasty fall from a ladder when working on the roof of my brother in-law’s house and couldn’t work for six months, while my hand recovered. The Brigidine position was advertised in the local paper and my wife thought I should apply, not that she didn’t want me around the house, but because it was a job where I wouldn’t need to be “on the tools”. But I didn’t even get an interview.
In his role, Brian helped transform the grounds, learning spaces and facilities for staff and students. His generosity of spirit was truly appreciated by all at Brigidine. He exemplified our motto of ‘Strength and Gentleness’ in his everyday dealings with all who he met and worked with. We wish him all the very best in his retirement and thank him for all he has done. Recently our Business Manager, Richard Luxford, reminisced with Brian on his time at the College.
6
THE BRIDGE ISSUE 2 2021
However, by sheer coincidence, some weeks later I bumped into the then Principal’s wife, Pattie Bowie, when we were both called for jury service. I told Pattie I’d applied for a job at Brigidine but wasn’t successful. To my amazement, she told me the job was never filled. A week later, I was offered it.
What projects were happening then? Construction of Bowie Hall was nearing completion and we needed to fit it out with lighting, carpet, electrics, etc. It opened in September 2005. We would renovate classrooms when a teacher moved or left. The Canteen quadrangle was the first full project, involving the installation of the shade structure in 2008, together with ground softfall and the centre garden. In 2009, just before Jane Curran’s arrival as Principal, we did a major renovation of the Synan building. The College also received funding from the Building Education Revolution (BER) to construct the entrance features at each of the five entry points. We installed five 45,000 litre wastewater tanks enabling recycling of the roof runoff to be used for watering gardens and some WC flushing.
