New gym underway

Students from Cowes Primary School joined with Member for Bass, Jordan Crugnale to witness the start of construction of their long-awaited new gym.

School captains Blake Murphy and Sienna Macmillan along with student representatives from Years 1 -6 to turned the first sod on the $5.5 million indoor competition grade gymnasium last week.

“We have wanted a big gym since Prep and can’t wait for it to be built so everyone can enjoy it,” Blake and Sienna said.

Beacon Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd has been appointed to build the gymnasium with works expected to be completed in 2022.

In preparation for this event, Jordan Crugnale MP gave the house captains blank shovels for them to paint to not just bring colour and artistic flair to the ceremonial start of a building works, but to give them an opportunity to lead a project.

“In a year where the school captains haven’t had the usual markers, events, projects they traditionally do in their leadership role, I thought they might like to take this up as it has meaning, would bring them together as a group and they could finish the school year having left a positive imprint as well,” she said.

They certainly rose to the challenge. The shovels are amazing and students spoke to them beautifully, adding in the importance of their school values, their learnings this past year and that they will not lose their connection to the school because they will be back using the gymnasium as community members.

The shovels will stay with the school, be used as required, and then mounted in the finished gymnasium representing everyone that has played a part in this journey.

Ms Crugnale said: “These projects don’t just appear from nowhere. It is a testament to the vision, commitment and drive of the school council and principal alongside staff, students and school community all working together to positively advocate for better facilities.”

She stressed the investment was not just for the students, describing the gym as a place that is also for the wider community to come together for sports, social happenings, meetings, cultural and arts events and other activities.

Community concerns

Local group, Save our Sanctuary (S.O.S) campaigned against the proposed location, saying the gym will be built within the “last known surviving remnant vegetation in the centre of Cowes”.

The group has stated they don’t oppose the gym, just the location, and believe other sites within the school ground are more appropriate.

S.O.S. urged the school to seek funding to rehabilitate the sanctuary and return it to its previous state, saying it was originally designed to “be preserved for native and indigenous flora and fauna”.

Last year the school council lobbied Bass Coast Shire Council for additional funds to expand the proposed gym to two courts, saying sporting clubs on the island were at “bursting point” and turning away members because of a lack of facilities.

At the time, School Council President, Brendan Cashman said Cowes primary’s planned gym was perfectly placed to be a community facility outside school hours.

“This will be a shared community facility, but one court is not enough.”