Primary school site and study announced
03 Aug 2010
By Alison Kinkade
Docklands may soon have a primary school with the State Government announcing a site at Digital Harbour and a feasibility study.
Planning Minister Justin Madden, Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and the Member for Melbourne Bronwyn Pike announced the study at the launch of the Second Decade of Docklands on July 8.
Mr Madden said the study would examine the projected demand from parents working in the area as well as future residents of Docklands and neighbouring developments.
“As this is a new approach to providing primary education, public consultation will take place with parents, employers and families of potential students to assess the suitability of a primary school at this location,” Mr Madden said.
Ms Pike said a site in Digital Harbour had been proposed for the school.
School site and study announced
“What we’ve already done is set aside a site so that’s the first important and really powerful symbol that we are serious about investigating the possibility of a school down here,” she said.
Mr Madden said a recent investigation found only about 50 primary school-age children in Docklands.
However recent VicUrban figures suggest that 1500 Docklanders either had children or were children. And applying 2006 census figures to the current population results in 240 children aged between 0-14.
The Hub community centre hosts 13 playgroups catering for 130 families with toddlers.
The Hub runs new-parent groups every six weeks that result in up to 100 new families joining playgroups each year. Some 65 per cent are from Docklands.
It is understood that Docklands families move out when their children reach school age because there is no school.
Ms Pike confirmed the school would be a multi-level building and would utilise other community facilities.
The feasibility study will be conducted by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, the Department of Planning and Community Development and VicUrban and is expected to take 12 months.
Docklands TV conducted an interview with Ms Pike at the launch of The Second Decade of Docklands. It can be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/2crnh2n
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Comments
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Michele Anderson raised a very important point as part of the 2nd decade consultation: why put a school so far away from the library? Both facilities should be co-located.
