Outdoor Setting

WORK BEGINS ON BINGARA GORGE SCHOOL

12 August 2010

The new principal will be appointed in Term 4 this year and will be based at Picton Public School, where enrolments will be taken, until the school opens.

The contract to build the school, which will cater for up to 400 students, has been awarded to South Coast company Edwards Constructions by the Department of Education.  A Best Practice Contractor with the NSW Department of Commerce, Edwards Constructions has built more than 30 schools along the south coast since 1999.

Four classrooms and the administration building will be built ready for the first intake of students in Term 1, 2011.  On completion Bingara Gorge Public School will consist of 10 classrooms, a library with community meeting room, a larger community hall, assembly area, a covered outdoor learning space and recreation and games facilities.

Delfin Lend Lease worked in consultation with the DET architect on the design, resulting in a contemporary innovative architecture in keeping with the character of Bingara Gorge, featuring a brick base, timber cladding and striking skillion roofs.

Bingara Gorge Project Director Paul Gerlach said the laying of the school foundations was an important milestone in the evolution of the Bingara Gorge community.

“There is nothing like children to develop a sense of community and caring in any neighbourhood,” said Mr Gerlach. “The children who live at Bingara Gorge and go to school here will enjoy the freedom of being able to walk or cycle to school in a safe environment.  The school will also serve as a catalyst to make Bingara Gorge a vital part of the wider community of Wilton.

“Students will have the luxury of learning in a state-of-the-art complex with classrooms designed in keeping with Bingara Gorge’s focus on sustainability making best use of passive solar design, with good natural light and windows and doors aligned for cross-flow ventilation.”

Phil Costa, the Member for Wollondilly and a former primary school principal, said the Bingara Gorge school was an example of the government putting in place infrastructure where it was most needed.

“Bingara Gorge Public School will serve the young people of this area well and provide a modern and well resourced learning environment,” Mr Costa said.  “This school is a great outcome for the people of Wilton who have been fighting for a school for decades. Now kids from Wilton can go to school locally, rather than travel to Picton each day.

“A school is the soul of the community – and I’m proud our community came together to make sure this school became a reality.”
 
Eager to be first in line to enrol is four-year-old Adeline Veech who will be moving in to her new home at Bingara Gorge within the next few months. Having a school just five minutes’ walk from home was the prime reason that David and Tia Veech chose to move from their five-acre property.

“At the moment it takes 20 minutes drive just to get Adeline to pre-school so being able to walk her to school was a big factor when we bought our land at Bingara Gorge two years ago,” said Tia. “Going from five acres to one acre will take some adjustment but it’s a small sacrifice compared to the benefits.”

While Adeline will be one of the foundation pupils, her younger sister Kendra, aged 2 ½, will join her in a couple of years .

Bingara Gorge is a Delfin Lend Lease community development that will be home to 3500 people by 2020.  The masterplanned community is spread over 450 hectares and will include 1,165 residential lots.

 

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