By Goya Dmytryshchak
and Benjamin Millar
Inner-west roads and schools were winners in Tuesday’s state budget.
From $16 million allocated this year, the biggest single spend was $38.5 million to widen Footscray’s Whitehall Street and strengthen and widen Shepherd Bridge for new pedestrian and cycling lanes.
Western Region Health Centre receives
$7.4 million to complete the $9.7 redevelopment of its Footscray dental clinic. But there is no funding to redevelop Footscray Hospital.
A further $3 million will be spent upgrading the Altona recycled water treatment plant and $2 million will redevelop the Altona Memorial Park chapel and crematorium.
In keeping with its pre-election promise, the Andrews government has allocated $1.6million towards an integrated children’s hub in Altona.
Altona MP Jill Hennessy said the one-stop hub would include long day care; a kindergarten; maternal child health services; playgroups; and parenting, intervention and family support services.
State Labor allocated $1 million of its total $15 million pre-election promise for planning and feasibility works on the new Footscray Education Precinct. It also allocated $500,000 for a theatre at Williamstown High School (WHS) and $300,000 to upgrade the technology wing of Bayside P-12 College at Williamstown. WHS principal Gino Catalano said the budget announcement gave the school extra cause to celebrate in its centenary year, with the theatre leaving a legacy to the school and community for the next 100 years.
“We were holding off on going ahead to tender to builders and now, with this news, we’ll be able to start that process immediately,” Mr Catalano said.
“I think we’ll have the builders on site in October and the project will be completed towards the end of next year.”
He said the Performing Arts Centre of Excellence would be used by students from the west undertaking university extension subjects.
Bayside college principal Andrew Harnett said he was thrilled with the money for a technology upgrade at the junior campus.
“It will have a significant impact on the student learning here at the college,” he said.
Melissa Horne, president of the SKY High lobby group, welcomed a $1.5 million commitment to relocate Footscray City College to a new education precinct, linking Victoria University’s Nicholson campus with Footscray City Primary School. She said SKY High had been told it would be part of the committee investigating the feasibility of the proposal.
s well as giving
, so it’s really exciting for the school
“We’re going to hire it out to community groups … w We really want to develop that community partnership.”
he state government has indicated
Williamstown MP Wade Noonan said the 2015-16 budget included record investment in education.
“These projects honour our election commitments and will deliver real benefits for local families.”
