By Brendan Rees
Works have begun on a new $20.8 million Clyde North East Primary School with Premier Daniel Andrews expressing his excitement during a visit to the site last week.
Mr Andrews and Bass MP Jordan Crugnale joined students of Berwick Chase Primary School for the first sod turning on Friday 22 February to mark the start of construction at site on Calgary Way in Clyde North.
The school, expected to be open in 2020, will include state-of-the-art classrooms, performing arts spaces and physical education centre with open play space, two learning centres, administration building, a specialist pavilion, sports fields, including multi-courts, and car parking.
The site, which covers 35,000 square metres, will cater for 525 students from the fast-growing Clyde North community.
Mr Andrews said two primary schools and secondary school would be built in Clyde.
“We’re giving families across Pakenham, Clyde and Cranbourne the certainty that they will have a great local school, close to home,” he said.
“A brand new primary school for Clyde North East is more than an investment in buildings; it’s an investment in our children’s future in this fantastic community.
“It’s great for jobs, there’s so many thousands of Victorians that are employed as part of the Victorian School Building program. It’s about $3 billion worth of investment, so very significant,” he added.
Clyde North East Primary School is part of the Labor Government’s school building boom that will see 100 new government schools open over the next eight years, including 7 brand new schools across Pakenham, Clyde and Cranbourne and a new junior secondary school to service Phillip Island and the west of Bass Coast Shire.
Ms Crugnale said: “We are about making sure families in the outer south east get the education, health and transport services, supports and infrastructure they need and deserve.”
“This is a much needed school for a growing community who have called Clyde North home and it’s only a Labor Government that is getting it done,” she said.
