By KATH GANNAWAY
A $259,000 sealed car park at Woori Yallock Primary School will provide a safer parking environment for school students, staff and visitors, and for other groups who use the school’s facilities.
The new car park, providing 43 spaces and included drainage, kerb and channel, asphalt surfacing and footpath construction.
The project was a collaboration between the Federal Government, under their Community Development Grants Program, and Yarra Ranges Council who designed and managed construction of the project.
The car park was officially opened by Casey MP Tony Smith, Yarra Ranges mayor Jason Callanan and school captains Annelise and Chloe, on Friday 19 February.
Mr Smith said it was fair to say the school council had been very frustrated for a long time by the state of the car park, which also presented challenges because of its location on a busy road.
He said the funding was announced in the lead up to the Federal Election in August 2013, and it was thought at the time it would be a fairly simple construction.
“It ended up being a little more problematic, but we got there in the end,” he said.
“It was my job to get the money, but to actually get the project constructed required the council’s commitment, participation and expertise,” he said.
Cr Callanan said the project was another example of Local Government and Federal Government getting involved together to help and produce a great piece of car parking.
Cr Jim Child said the project was a tribute to the persistence of the school community, the expertise of the Yarra Ranges Council and to Tony Smith as the local member.
He added his thanks to the council’s environment and engineering director Mark Vermalis and his team.
