WORK will start on a major redevelopment of Ballarat High School next year as architects revealed their vision for the project on Monday.
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“It means a great deal to us to improve facilities and accommodate population growth out here
- Graeme Howard
The project is based off a previous Coalition commitment of $7.8 million made in the lead-up to the 2014 Victorian election.
e+ Architecture director Nick Marino said the masterplan unveiled on Monday showed the refurbishment of the top of the J.J Sheehan building and the construction of the new science and senior school building.
“It is early stages at the moment, we are in the design phase at the moment so we have had approval of the masterplan and construction will most likely begin in the early part of 2017, with around an 18-month construction period,” Mr Marino said.
When the Coalition made the $7.8 million commitment, attached was the commitment to a further $10 million if they were reelected.
Enrolments at the school are climbing given the growth in Ballarat’s west. Both Ballarat High School and Phoenix College are expected to take on much of that growth.
Ballarat High School council president Graeme Howard said the redevelopment would bring some of the older facilities up to standard.
“It means a great deal to us to improve facilities and accommodate population growth out here,” he said.
“We were disappointed we didn't receive any funding in the last budget, to have received this funding from the the previous government is a real win in that way but it will go part way to redeveloping the site and facilities which are outdated in some ways.
“Especially with the science wing, it is important to develop that.”
Western Victoria MP Joshua Morris said the former Coalition government was committed to ensuring Ballarat High School received the funding it needed to keep up the growth they are experiencing
“It is unfortunate that Ballarat High School is the only public secondary school in Ballarat to get no funding from the Andrews government,” he said.
“We know that Ballarat west is growing, we know that Ballarat High School is the school that is going to pick up that growth and without that proper investment in funds the school will fall behind in providing the first class learning the students here in Ballarat deserve.”
Wendouree MP Sharon Knight said she was pleased that the school had received significant funding from the Victorian government.
“I’m working toward all government secondary schools in Wendouree receiving similar capital funding,” she said.
