Inspecting work recently on the new $121 million Armidale Secondary College, College Captain Charlotte Charteris, Principal Carolyn Lasker, NSW Education Infrastructure Project Manager Terry O’Sullivan, NSW Education Director School Leadership Pat Cavanagh, Education Minister Sarah Mitchell, Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall and Vice Captain Alyssa Armstrong.
Tuesday, 18 June 2019
THE planning has taken place and the old buildings have been demolished, now construction of the revolutionary new Armidale Secondary College can charge ahead with $121.2 million allocated to the project in today’s 2019/20 NSW Budget, Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall has announced.
Mr Marshall said an additional $50.77 million had been allocated to the Armidale Secondary College project in the next financial year, allowing progress on the school’s build to continue, ensuring it’s ready to welcome students on the first day of Term 1, 2021.
“The Armidale Secondary College will change the face of education in the Northern Tablelands for generations to come,” Mr Marshall said.
“In May new Education Minister Sarah Mitchell and I met with school leaders and inspected the large amount of work which has already taken place including the demolition of old buildings at the Armidale High School campus and groundworks.
“It’s incredibly exciting to think it won’t be long and we will begin to witness the foundations of the new facility coming together with modern laboratories and enhanced design and technology spaces, advanced vocational education facilities and new sporting fields and courts.
“With its greatly-expanded curriculum delivering the full range of Stage 6 (Years 11 and 12) subjects and potential to offer all Vocational Educational Training (VET) Framework, I feel Armidale will be among the best prepared regional cities to meet changing workforce needs and changing local economies.”
Mr Marshal said a multipurpose performing arts centre on the campus will offer a space where creative industries in the Northern Tablelands can be encouraged to grow like never before.
“Armidale has a wealth of creative talent and I’m pleased to hear today the Department of Education is in the process of planning the business case for the $18 million facility which will offer a central performance space for all the various local performing arts groups,” he said.
“This centre which will also have recording studios will be equipped with seating for 425 people and be able to stage musicals, theatre productions and school presentations and conferences.
“The huge benefits of this centre will also be felt in the community as it will be made available for public use for traveling shows, theatre productions and attracting and hosting conferences to the region.
“Every day I drive past the construction site I get excited about the incredible opportunities this facility will offer 1,500 students from our region every year.”