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6 October 2006
Extra School Site Planned for Caroline Springs
Andre Haermeyer, the State Member for Kororoit, commended Delfin for enabling the views of the community to be reflected in their planning for the North Lake Centre and to accommodate the long term needs of the local community.
“I commend Delfin and also want to congratulate the local community members, the Catholic Education Office as well as Delfin for working together collectively to address the requirements of the local community.”
Delfin Lend Lease Project Director for Caroline Springs, Mr Martin Gaedke, acknowledged Andre Haermeyer’s initiative of bringing the parties together to seek a solution. Over the past few months Delfin, the Department of Education and Training, Independent Colleges Australia, the Catholic Education Office, Melton Shire Council and the local community have been engaged in a detailed review of the plans for the North Lake Centre.
“The detailed planning to deliver the neighbourhood centre is entering its final stages with all parties committed to reaching a final position in the coming weeks. We look forward to delivering a fully integrated neighbourhood centre that will provide a broad range of services and facilities for the local community.
The original design solution for the North Lake Centre incorporated only two school sites with adjoining community centre and open space due to environmentally significant native grasslands. Following the detailed review of the original master plan and surrounding areas previously ear marked as residential, the incorporation of a Catholic Education site has only been possible due to a collaborative approach between providers who have agreed to share open space and some facilities. Without this collaboration this result could not have been attained.
“Overall the neighbourhood centre will now have 3 school sites, sport and recreation facilities, maternal and child health services, pre-school and childrens services” he said.
“This has been an exciting and challenging process. This will be an asset that the entire community can be proud of,” he said.
Mr Gaedke said that the master planning had also addressed all environmental issues on the site including avoiding any impact on the adjoining State and Federally significant grasslands.
Melton Shire Mayor Cr Chris Papas welcomed the announcement.
“This outcome highlights the importance of good partnerships and relationships. The integration of important public and private service providers into the neighbourhood centre will contribute to the long term sustainability of our community,” said Cr Pappas.
The Acting Director of Catholic Education Stephen Elder welcomed the decision of Delfin Lend Lease to review the plans for the North Lake Centre following the community response to the original plan, which only included a state and private education site. “This decision will be warmly received by the local community, where Catholic schools are highly regarded”, Mr Elder said. “It also demonstrates the veracity of Delfin’s claim to put education and therefore people first in their estates,” he said.
Pat Gurrie, Chairperson of CONNED (Community Opposing Northern Neighbourhood Education Decision) said that his organisation was happy to now be redundant as a result of Delfin heeding the concerns of the community and taking steps to meet the communities education needs and expectations by reinstating the originally proposed third primary school.
“The community in the Northern section of Caroline Springs has now been given a greater choice as to how they learn in a range of quality education facilities,” said Mr Gurrie.media
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