$8.7m to ease Townsville Community Learning Centre ’s growing pains

Students at the Townsville Community Learning Centre will finally have somewhere to congregate and play sports undercover with the construction of a new $8.7m hall underway.

Students at the Townsville Community Learning Centre will finally have somewhere to congregate and play sports undercover with the construction of a new $8.7m hall underway.

The state special school — which has a growing student body of about 200 — has desperately needed expanded facilities since it formed in 2002, combining the Mundigburra Special School and the Aitkenvale Special School.

It comes as construction on a two-storey learning centre with six new learning spaces finishes up at the school this year, expanding its capacity to host up to 308 students.

Townsville Community Learning Centre student Avia Keogh, 7, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Evan Morgan

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk visited the school in Mundingburra on Tuesday to view the progress of their new $8.7m multipurpose hall.

She said the project would include a sports court area, a stage, a foyer area, equipment stores, an audiovisual control room, amenities, a kiosk and an extra 25 car park areas.

“I am delighted to see work going ahead on this fantastic new building that will serve the school and the community well into the future,” she said.

The project is due to be completed next Easter, supporting about 20 jobs during the construction period.

Townsville Community Learning Centre student Chenoa with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Evan Morgan

Townsville Community Learning Centre Principal Tracey Cronin said the multipurpose hall would mean that all 200 of their students and staff could finally meet in one covered area.

“We have not been able to do this since we formed as the amalgamated special school in Townsville back in 2002 when the Mundigburra Special School and the Aitkenvale Special School joined to create this school,” she said.

A mock-up of the new building for the Townsville Community Learning Centre. Picture: Supplied

“The new hall will provide an environment that will enhance our ability to offer engaging curriculum opportunities, in particular health and physical education and the arts.

“In addition to this, the future hall will provide us with significantly greater opportunities for the intentional collaboration of our whole school staff and engagement with our local community groups and regional networks.”

An overview of where the new parts of the Townsville Community Learning Centre will sit. Picture: Supplied

Originally published as $8.7m to ease Townsville Community Learning Centre ’s growing pains