By Jed Lanyon
Lilydale Heights College is going all in on sustainability as the school plans to construct a sustainability learning hub as well as a sports stadium, new canteen and a town centre.
Principal Rosina Fotia said that sustainability is a major focus for the project and that the older buildings will be re-purposed for the new facilities as opposed to being demolished.
“We’re not knocking down a building, we’re repurposing a building and the idea is that you model to the students that this is how you can reuse and repurpose facilities.
“It’s not just about creating something brand new all the time… We’re quite excited about that as a concept.
“The fact that we’re not having to knock down walls and dig up concrete and dump that somewhere, because you can use the structure that’s already there.
“I think it sets a really good example for all of us.”
The sustainability hub will feature solar panels and will overhaul the entire school’s heating system, which features the original boiler room from when the school opened in 1969.
“They have obviously been converted from oil to gas, but it’s a significant cost to the school to run the heating system,” Ms Fotia said.
“It’s fine because we need to have a warm environment for the students but this upgrade is going to save not only on terms of efficiency but to costs.
One feature of the stadium will be that it will also serve as a new bus shelter for students awaiting their ride home.
“A brand new state of the art sports facility is awesome for the kids. We’ve been playing in a gym that probably has no runoff, is quite dark.
“It’s served its purpose during the time but it’s long overdue for an upgrade.”
Ms Fotia welcomed the $8 million funding from the state government in what she said will be the first major funding projected injected into the school since it was first built.
“Anything for state education is a win as far as I’m concerned… Every child has the right to access the best resources and facilities.
“It’s long overdue and absolutely applauded.”
The project has been designed by Harrison and White and is currently in the tendering process.
Ms Fotia is hopeful for construction to begin by the end of the year and for the project to be completed by 12 months.
“The students are very excited. We brought them in to some of the meetings with the architects because we wanted to get their thoughts on it.
“The part they were most excited about was about the creation of the town centre, where we’re looking at some landscaping of a section with some indigenous plantings… I’m pretty proud that it’s something that they have noticed.”
Lilydale Heights College is heading towards receiving their second star from Sustainability Victoria recognising their sustainability efforts.
Ms Fotia described the theme of sustainability as the school’s identity as students have takne the initiative of designing and creating guard rails that are placed over the schools drains to help prevent plastic from entering the waterways.
“Is it going to impact what happens in the classroom? No, it’s the quality of teachers and the program that impacts that.
“But will it make the students have a little spring in their step and will give them bit more pride about what’s happening in their environment? Absolutely, and that’s a win for everyone.”
