Friday December 10, 2021

Building a bright future

Schools

There has been a flurry of building activity at nearly 30 Catholic schools around the State this year, as Catholic Education SA continues to provide state-of-the-art facilities to meet the requirements of today’s teaching and learning.

Lindy McNamara

Friday December 10, 2021

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Figures from CESA’s Infrastructure, Planning and Development department reveal that 27 capital developments have been completed during 2021. A further 17 projects are underway and set for completion in 2022 and beyond. Several other projects are due to start next year. The projects are largely funded by each school with some funding coming from the South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools and the State and Federal governments.

Central to the multi-million dollar projects is the provision of modern facilities both inside and outside of the classroom, creating enhanced learning opportunities for students and teachers. The developments mean there are even greater pathways for Catholic education across South Australia and will help to meet the growing demand for enrolments.

Some are greenfield projects, such as St Francis of Assisi College, Renmark, a new secondary college for the Riverland region that will open in January 2022. Stage 1, which was completed this year, comprises Year 7 to 9 learning buildings, some specialist facilities, administration and landscaping. Two further stages are planned over the next three to five years.

Also opening in January is Compass Catholic Community, a new, fee-free school being built at Davoren Park that will cater for young people aged 17 to 24.

CESA’s Infrastructure, Planning and Development manager Paul Angley said it had been a busy and exciting period for his team and the companies working with them on the projects.

“Over several years, CESA has developed excellent relationships with a core group of leading specialist builders and architect firms,” he said.

“These strong relationships have allowed us to work quickly and achieve very tight timelines and still produce high quality facilities.

“It has also been pleasing to see some of our projects receive State and national awards for their architectural design and integration into the natural environment.”

The award-winning redevelopment at St Francis de Sales College.

At this year’s SA Architecture Awards three Catholic school projects were recognised. Awards were presented to McAuley Community School, Hove, for its whole school design (Swanbury Penglase architects), to Loreto College, Marryatville, for the upgrade to its Breda Byrne Wing (MPH Architects) and Blackfriars Priory School, Prospect, which opened its new Aquinas Centre (Swanbury Penglase). Last month, architects Brown Falconer were winners at the Learning Environments Australasia SA and NT Awards for their design of the Early Learning to Year 6 facilities redevelopment at St Francis de Sales College, Mount Barker.

Some of the other major projects completed or in progress during 2021 were:

• Expansions to include Year 7 to 9 in specialist middle school facilities at St Joseph’s school, Clare; St Mary MacKillop Memorial School, Wallaroo; St Joseph’s School, Peterborough; St Joseph’s School, Murray Bridge; Cardijn College, Galilee Campus, Aldinga. All of these will be open to students next year.
• Nazareth Catholic College – a new senior campus on Findon Road to cater for 800 senior students.
• Xavier College, Two Wells Campus – Stage 1 completed at the start of 2021 to cater for 180 enrolments. Stage 2 has been accelerated and construction recently started to provide additional classrooms and a gym facility for the growing enrolments and expansion to Year 7 and 8 in 2022 and to Year 9 in 2023.
• Cardijn College, Noarlunga – a new senior school centre comprising classroom and specialist facilities.
• Tenison Woods College, Mount Gambier – Stage 1 was the completion of a new early learning centre and reception facility with Stage 2 now underway to provide new primary school facilities.
• St Joseph’s School, Port Lincoln – new primary and pre-school facility to cater for growing enrolments.

Other schools where projects will be completed in 2021 or early 2022 include: St Joseph’s School, Hectorville; Rostrevor College, Woodforde; St Francis School, Lockleys; St Joseph’s School, Ottoway; St Martin de Porres School, Sheidow Park; St Pius X School, Windsor Gardens; Holy Family Catholic School, Parafield Gardens; Antonio School, Morphett Vale; St Francis de Sales College, Mount Barker; St Francis Xavier’s Regional School, Wynn Vale; St Patrick’s School, Mansfield Park; St John the Baptist School, Plympton; Caritas College, Port Augusta; St Gabriel’s School, Enfield; Immaculate Heart of Mary School, Brompton; St Margaret Mary’s School, Croydon; St Mark’s College, Port Pirie; St Martin’s School, Greenacres.