Delacombe Primary School stadium will be fast-tracked with local jobs after H. Troon won construction contract
PLANS: Wendouree MP Juliana Addison, H. Troon project manager Riley Pascoe and Delacombe Primary School principal Scott Phillips look over the plans for the new basketball stadium ahead of construction starting on Monday. Picture: Lachlan Bence
A new basketball stadium for Delacombe Primary School has been fast-tracked with local builder H. Troon winning the contract to construct the almost $6 million complex and a 30-week build schedule planned to start next week.
The announcement of H. Troon to build the Delacombe Primary School stadium also means more construction jobs in the city, with project manager Riley Pascoe estimating there would be up to 40 workers on site at times during the peak building period, most of them from Ballarat.
"We aim to bring in as many local sub-contractors as we can and that's key," Mr Pearson said.
"Being Ballarat through and through, we love working in the area in which we were founded."
Delacombe Primary School principal Scott Phillips said the school had hoped to be in their new gym by November 2021, but the fast-track project meant it would now be ready towards the end of April.
The new stadium
"If anything, the fact that COVID-19 came around and the (education) department and state government wanted to move projects along has probably benefited us and fast tracked this project," he said.
"Talking bricks and mortar now is really exciting for our whole school and for the whole community."
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The stadium will house a competition grade basketball court, changerooms, multipurpose room, canteen and other spaces and will be used not only by the school but the community and sporting groups who play at neighbouring Doug Dean Reserve.
Mr Philips said Ballarat Basketball were keen to extend their brand in to the local area and use the new facility, and the rugby club were looking forward to using the new changerooms.
Inside court
The stadium will be built near the Greenhalghs Road boundary of the school abutting the reserve.
Wendouree MP Juliana Addison, who made the gym an election commitment in her 2018 campaign, said it was much-needed for the area's rapidly growing population. "It's great news we are putting nearly $6 million in to the local economy, supporting local jobs and building world-class facilities for our Delacombe community," she said.
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