A few fluorescent tubes splashed the walls with sterile light and water trickled in from the ceiling.

No one was sure the last time work had been done on St Ann’s chapel at Emmanuel College.

It wasn’t until refurbishing started last year that a newspaper found stashed in the ceiling gave some idea. 

“When we were painting we actually found an old newspaper that said 1969, so that helped us date the last actual work,” principal Peter Morgan said. 

On Thursday, the chapel had its official reopening after sitting behind locked doors for six months for a $70,000 facelift. 

“It was extremely run down,” Mr Morgan said.

“The main problems were the water penetration that was coming in and because the building is sandstone, the sandstone absorbs the moisture and causes it to expand and break up.

“It’s a good three stories so we had to fill it up with scaffolding to be able to get to the ceiling.” 

Once workers got up there they found the tell-tale 45-year-old newspaper.

“Nothing had really happened since then,” Mr Morgan said. 

“It just fell out of use. It wasn’t a comfortable place.”

Since opening the chapel has hosted weddings, funerals and school Masses. 

“Our staff meet here every Friday morning for their staff prayer and briefing,” Mr Morgan. “Classes are now starting to come in here and use the space.”

*AN earlier version of this story incorrectly put the refurbishment costs at $700,000. This has been amended to the correct amount - $70,000.