Calls for urgent upgrade of Elwood College’s ageing buildings
Elwood College is calling on the state government to fund repairs to its gym and theatre, which have huge cracks, exposed wiring and grotty bathrooms.
Education
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Elwood College is seeking urgent funding to repair its gymnasium and theatre which are held together with duct tape in places and have large holes in the roof.
The dilapidated, ageing structures, known as the Phoenix Centre, have 10-centimetre wide cracks, exposed wiring and grotty bathrooms.
The gymnasium is of particular concern because it doesn’t meet safety standards and cannot be used for competitions
A community meeting at the school on Monday night attracted hundreds of people, and a change.org petition has more than 1000 signatures.
Wendy Dunstan, school council president, said the goal was to make it “undeniably clear to decision makers that there is overwhelming support for upgrades to our worn-out theatre and dilapidated adjoining gymnasium”
“We also know that uplifted performing arts and sporting facilities in Elwood will benefit thousands of children in the area who participate in sport and performing arts activities,” she said.
Parents have been seeking the funds since 2017, and are now seeking a commitment from the government ahead of the November state election.
The school was given $10 million in 2015 but Ms Dunstan said the job was “only half done” and didn’t upgrade the theatre or gym or remediate the grounds.
Liberal MP for Brighton, James Newbury, has pledged $7.1 million to rebuild the theatre and gym as a sports, recreation and arts hub.
“This investment acknowledges the significant role the theatre plays for recreation and performing arts opportunities for students and the broader community,” he said.
Nigel Purchase, managing director of Chase Basketball, said there was “no seating for spectators, no temperature regulation, the ceiling of the gym is riddled with holes that are so big the sky is visible, and the changing areas are cramped and worn out”.
Other struggling state schools include Canterbury Girls Secondary College which had a building that partly collapsed in March 2021. The school has been seeking funds for urgent capital upgrades for years.
It comes as more than 100 Victorian schools will receive a new lick of paint or needed repairs under a maintenance blitz by the state government.
Education Minister Natalie Hutchins will announce a total of 111 schools will receive new works over Term 3.
The $11.24 million round of funding will include replacing floors, improving classrooms and external landscaping.
It will also cover an ongoing program to inspect and maintain solar power systems across 737 different campuses.
“This program is about ensuring that every Victorian school is well maintained and safe to provide the best possible environment for students to learn in,” Ms Hutchins said.
A state government spokesman said that more than $11.3 million has been invested in Elwood College “in works carried out since 2015 to provide the best possible environment for students to learn in”.
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