Toowoomba North State School hall enclosure long time coming says Toowoomba North MP

A Toowoomba MP has called for a project to enclose the hall to Toowooomba North State School to take students out of the wind and cold.

Toowoomba North State School, Taylor Street Photo Bev Lacey / The Chronicle

An enclosed hall to protect the students of Toowoomba North State School is long overdue, according to Toowoomba North MP Trevor Watts.

A hardworking school with a growing population, Mr Watts said the students deserved to have an indoor space to hold assemblies and gather.

Built as part of then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s Building the Education Revolution investment drive, the large undercover area was built after funding for an enclosed hall ran dry.

“The school didn’t have enough money to build a big hall so they built a full sized undercover area that could easily be enclosed,” he said.

“As we’ve had a cold and windy August I think it should be a priority for the Queensland Government, and Education Minister Grace Grace, to ensure the school gets this funding.

“While the government is to be thanked for the work it’s done at Wilsonton and Highfields state primary this project would be a small amount of the Department of Education budget and should really be funded.”

Department of Education to enclose that hall now so that the kids in the school can all meet for their assembles and gather out of the wind and cold.”

A spokesman for the Department of Education said since 2014-15, $1.78 million has been invested at the school to deliver new learning facilities.

“The department works with principals to develop a list of priorities for new facilities at schools through a School Strategic Infrastructure Plan,” he said.

“SSIP proposals from all schools are submitted for consideration by the department and assessed through a prioritisation process to ensure the highest needs across the state are met.

“The department has undertaken a concept design for enclosing the hall should funding become available.”