Communities across Melbourne's west will have more open space for sport and after-school events with more schools to open up their fields and facilities once class is out for the day.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll today announced the Allan Labor Government is supporting a pilot scheme aimed at boosting the use of public spaces like ovals and gyms in recently opened western suburbs schools.
Kicking off from today, the pilot will mean more valuable space for after school activities like local sports, language and music classes and other community-run extracurricular activities.
The $1.4 million investment will fund a dedicated support team to help the schools in facilitating community use of their spaces, coordinating community outreach and managing associated administration.
Support would include promoting and identifying opportunities for community groups, negotiating and managing agreements and helping arrange additional cleaning of school facilities.
The boosted amount open space will give more Victorians a space to be active and help more people benefit from the Labor Government's massive investment in new schools and infrastructure.
Out of Victoria's 1,580 government schools, two-thirds currently share their grounds for informal use by the community.
The Labor Government is delivering on its promise to open 100 new schools by 2026. Since 2017 we have opened 40 schools in Melbourne's west, including 28 primary schools, 9 secondary schools and 3 specialist schools.
The Government has invested a record $18.5 billion over the past 11 years to build new schools and deliver more than 2,300 school upgrades − supporting more than 30,000 jobs in construction and associated industries.
As stated by Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll
"Our kids deserve excellent gyms, ovals, playgrounds and open spaces - now, more Victorians will be able to enjoy them too."
"This move will mean everyone can enjoy our record investment in schools - turning them into thriving local hubs that encourage people to get active and learn new skills."
As stated by Member for Point Cook Mathew Hilakari
"This exciting pilot program opens school doors for use beyond the classroom, transforming these spaces where local sports clubs, music groups, and neighbourhood activities can flourish alongside our kids' learning."
