ALP leader Luke Foley hears Meadowbank Public School, West Ryde Public School needs
PARENTS have spoken out about the struggle of two schools to cope with demand and appealed to NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley for help during his visit to Meadowbank.
Northern District Times
Don't miss out on the headlines from Northern District Times. Followed categories will be added to My News.
PARENTS have spoken out about the struggle of two schools to cope with demand and appealed to NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley for help during his visit to Meadowbank.
Meadowbank Public School P&C vice-president Sue Mifsud and a West Ryde Public School parent told a public meeting with Mr Foley last week how bigger premises were urgently needed to cope with burgeoning student numbers.
Ms Mifsud outlined Meadowbank’s situation.
The school is on a small site and is adding demountables to cope with growth, which is encroaching on playground space.
“With each demountable, the playground disappears,” she told those at Shepherds Bay Community Centre.
“We need help now.”
The parent from West Ryde Public said year groups were forced to make a roster to share the grassed area.
Both parents wanted solutions.
The Labor leader said he wanted an audit of all government land.
The recently established Greater Sydney Commission, informed by this audit, should have the power to seize surplus land held by other agencies and use it for schools, according to Mr Foley.
This is relevant to Meadowbank, which neighbours Ryde Council’s operations centre.
The council’s acting general manager Roy Newsome last year said the site was critical to the council’s financial sustainability.
Mr Foley also called for a universal planning code that would give priority to schools to buy land “before the Woolworths and Bunnings can just outbid them”.
“It’s the greatest priority for Sydney today – to build new schools,” he said.
Speaking to the Times this week, Ms Mifsud said parents would welcome Mr Foley’s policies.
However, she wanted Mr Foley and his peers to pressure the State Government to act.
“Our school needs attention right now,” she said.
Ryde state Liberal MP Victor Dominello said plans were progressing for a new primary school at Smalls Rd, Ryde.
It would open in 2020, accommodating up to 1000 students and relieving pressure on some schools.
Mr Dominello said he also fought overdevelopment near Meadowbank, such as the Holdmark project at Shepherds Bay.
Attendees also asked questions on public transport, overdevelopment and housing.
‘Blueprint for the future’: Vision to create homes for essential workers
The state government and private developers are embracing a real estate initiative already thriving in the US and UK, which will put properties on the market for those unable to buy their own homes.
University forced to open ‘safe room’ for Jewish students
A high-security safe room has been set up for Jewish students at a Sydney university in response to rising and shocking reports of antisemitism on the campus – despite criticism from some students it will leave them isolated and “sitting ducks”.