South Melbourne Park Primary fence prompts State Government petition

FEARS students could be at risk if a boundary fence around a new South Melbourne primary school isn’t expanded has prompted the school community to launch a petition.

Miranda, 7, and Jeremy, 5, outside the South Melbourne Park Primary site.

FAILURE to include a boundary fence around South Melbourne Park Primary has sparked fears students could be put at risk.

The school, in the heart of the Albert Park Lake precinct, is due to open in January.

A change.org petition calling on the State Government to rectify the issue garnered more than 8000 signatures in a week, prompting authorities to revise plans.

SOUTH MELBOURNE PARK PRIMARY SCHOOLS ON TRACK TO OPEN

CATCHMENT ZONE AND PRINCIPAL ANNOUNCED FOR NEW SCHOOL

SCHOOLS OF THE FUTURE TO BECOME HEART OF THE COMMUNITY

Nicole Campbell’s son five-year-old son has autism and will attend the school next year.

She told the Leader she started the petition so “people like my little Gus, who is on the spectrum, will be safe”.

“He has been attending Southern Autistic School and he’s now verbal and ready to enter a mainstream school, but he has a tendency to wander,” she said.

“He’s particularly drawn to water, trams and noise and the school is 110m from the lake and 50m to trams.”

Ms Campbell said a lack of adequate fencing also meant any of the thousands of people who visit the busy area, which is home to MSAC, could wander on to school grounds.

Education Minister James Merlino did not rule out expanding the fence but said design changes would need to be considered in consultation with Parks Victoria and Heritage Victoria.

He said the design was overseen by a group which included parents, project planners and education experts.

“If the views of the school community have changed then we are happy to work with them to identify options to amend the design of the school, including expanding the current fence,” Mr Merlino said.

The State Government did not answer the Leader’s questions about how much the new fence would cost, where the money would come from or if the fence would be in place by the time the school opened.

MORE NEWS

RETIRED JOCKEY KATELYN MALLYON TAKES UP REINS AT CHANNEL 7

THUG JAILED AFTER TERRIFYING EXTORTION OF TRADESMAN

MID-CENTURY GEM OWNED BY ARCHITECT MAGGIE EDMOND ON MARKET