Run-down Yarra Ranges Special Development School state election pledge

A Mt Evelyn special development school’s community is celebrating after both sides of government guaranteed them capital works funding pledges, meaning their run-down campus will be rebuilt regardless of who wins the November state election.

Yarra Ranges Special Development School staff and students are stuck in portable classrooms. Picture: Stuart Milligan

THE community of a Mt Evelyn special development school can finally celebrate — they are getting the much-needed cash to partially rebuild their school no matter who wins the state election.

Only weeks out from a state election, both Labor and the Coalition have pledged millions of dollars to replace old relocatable classrooms and a spore-infested administration building that was off-limits at Yarra Ranges Special Development School.

However, the win was slightly soured after parents at the school cancelled work to meet Education Minister James Merlino for Labor’s $3.4 million pledge on Wednesday only for him to not show up.

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Evelyn state Liberal candidate Bridget Vallence visited the school the same day to promise $5 million.

Lilydale & Yarra Valley Leader has helped the 124-student school push for the much-needed cash boost after it missed out on a slice of the $55.6 million handed out by the State Government to 12 schools for the 2018-19 financial year.

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The school was given $500,000 in the 2017-18 State Budget, which covered a masterplan to revamp the school’s administration office, but it wasn’t enough to finish the project.

School principal Janet Taylor said the community was excited at both announcements, with both amounts enough to construct the administration building and junior school. “It’s an incredible start,” Ms Taylor said.

“We’re thrilled to bits and it’s awesome for the kids and families.”

School council vice president and mother-of-three Emma Withers said they were excited and grateful at the announcements but it had been a very “frustrating ride”.

“It’s disappointing the school has been able to get into this state,” Mrs Withers said.

“It’s like we haven’t been heard until an election happened.”

She said the old administration building had been tested by mould specialists and no one was allowed to enter because it had unsafe spore levels.

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Evelyn state Liberal candidate Bridget Vallence said she had been working closely with the school and parents to advocate for money to upgrade the buildings.

Mr Merlino said: “I have visited this wonderful school before and I’m delighted that on top of the $500,000 we have already provided, a re-elected Andrews Labor Government will deliver a further $3.4m for a major upgrade.”

He said an “urgent” matter came up the day before his planned visit, and the Labor candidate Gayle Tierney for Evelyn visited the school in his place.

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