A $140,000 grant means students at Hastings Public School can now look forward to playing under a covered outdoor learning area (COLA).
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The school can finally begin drawing up plans for the outdoor classroom come wellness space after successfully receiving money through the NSW State Government My Community Grant program.
School principal Jodie Paterson said it was a wonderful feeling knowing the Community Care and Wellbeing COLA will go ahead.
"We have had the vision for the COLA for the last three years and we have been working tirelessly to fundraise the necessary funds," Ms Paterson said.
"Our Parents and Friends committee has raised over $80,000 over those three years and the money we are going to receive through the My Community Grant program will cover the remaining costs."
Ms Paterson said the outdoor space will include a resurfaced multi-purpose court along with seating and a roof over the existing space.
"Currently we have a very old, exposed to the elements, sports court where students can play but we are wanting to totally transform the space," she said.
"The new COLA will firstly have a roof so regardless of the weather students can play in the space but teachers can also take students in class there to learn.
"There will be seating built into the hill for spectators to watch what is happening on the court and it will be all wired for lighting and sound."
She said the benefits of this space will be remarkable for the school but also to the wider community.
"We have nearly 700 students at our school now and finding appropriate spaces to work outside can be challenging.
"This COLA will provide teachers with another avenue to get students into the outdoors."
Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams thanked all applicants and sponsors for taking the time and effort to develop their ideas and promote their projects along with the members of the community who voted.
"My Community Project captured the imagination of the local community with people putting a lot of work into their ideas and it was great to see people get behind the projects that matter to them," Mrs Williams said.
"These projects came from the community and were voted on by the community and I now look forward to seeing applicants and sponsors getting on with the job of rolling out these projects and the benefits they will provide to the local community."
In the Port Macquarie electorate Revive Lake Cathie were successful in receiving $25,000 for water testing equipment and Hastings Secondary College Westport Campus received $81,000 for a plastics recycling machine.
What else is making news?
While you're with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox from the Port Macquarie News. To make sure you're up to date with all the news, SIGN UP HERE.