Sandringham College gets cash boost in fight to rebuild school

This Sandringham school is “falling apart”, riddled with asbestos and some buildings are even beyond repair. But, after angry parents went into bat for their kids, there will be a plan to finally clean it up for good.

Enrolments are booming at Sandringham College but parents say the derelict facilities need to be fixed now. Picture: Valeriu Campan

A radical overhaul of an asbestos riddled high school “falling apart with old age” could be on its way.

Sandringham College, which has two campuses at Holloway and Bluff roads, hasn’t received significant infrastructure funding “for at least 30 years”, with many buildings now cracked, rotting, rusting and beyond repair.

But the State Government this week committed $500,000 to develop a masterplan in consultation with the school council.

Kylie Fennessy, spokeswoman for the Community Action for Sandringham College (CASC), said the plan would be the first step in a long marathon to get the school up to scratch.

The group — which formed last August to find a solution to the school’s building woes — estimates $47 million is needed to restore the heritage-listed facilities and rebuild a number of other 1950s era buildings.

It is also pushing for a community-use ground to be built, with the help of Bayside Council funding, to help with a dire shortage of sporting fields in the area.

Cracks in the wall at Sandringham College. Picture: Valeriu Campan

The 1950s-era buildings are falling apart. Picture: Valeriu Campan

There is also dodgy wiring at the popular Bayside school.

Ms Fennessy said a standalone Year 9 campus would also being considered if and when the rebuild goes ahead.

“Every other high school in the area that’s this old has been rebuilt,” Ms Fennessy said.

“But we dropped off the list when Beaumaris Secondary was shut down and rebuilt.

“We have the best professionals in their field working in substandard conditions and it just hasn’t improved.”

Ms Fennessy said the rusty roof at Holloway Rd was leaking water and at risk of caving in.

She said there were fears the asbestos eaves would become dangerous to students and teachers if and when the roof fell down.

A rundown Sandringham College in September last year.

The bathroom facilities are in desperate need of a freshen up.

The filthy lockers at the school.

Southern Metropolitan Region MP Philip Dalidakis said the school needed a “lot of TLC to bring them up to a standard that the principal and teachers need and the students deserve”.

“We will not stop working until we deliver better facilities because our kids deserve to have a

great education and the best possible start in life,” Mr Dalidakis said.

Sandringham Liberal MP Brad Rowswell, who has long supported a rebuild, said the plan was an important first step but called on the government to commit to fully funding the project too.

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A further $2 million was committed by the State Government to build a discovery centre at the school’s junior campus in 2016 including specialist science labs and a stand-alone science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) building at Holloway Rd.

Sandringham College has been contacted for comment.