Tara Murray
Marymede Catholic College students are dancing for joy following the announcement of funding for a new performing arts facility at the school.
The college will receive $3.45 million from the state government to extend its existing performing arts area and provide four specialised dance and drama spaces, creating a dedicated facility for students to use.
Pprincipal Michael Kenny said it was fantastic the school was receiving the funding.
“We were always planning for the facility, it was just about attracting the funding,” he said.
“I think it’s fantastic for a relatively new school. We’re a prep to 12 school and will have close to 2000 students next year.
“We’ve got lots of students who do dance and drama and it’s wonderful to showcase that.”
Mr Kenny said Marymede currently has an auditorium which is used by the performing arts students. With the capacity to sit 200 people it serves a lot of other purposes at the school as well.
He said the new building, which will go over two floors, will give the performing arts students their own space.
“To have a dedicated performing arts facility to really showcase the students is fantastic,” he said.
“There’s drama and dance studios that can be opened up and made into a double room. It will have a kitchen facility as well.”
The school usually has a school production each year, varying between the senior and middle students.
Mr Kenny said having a dedicated facility would help with rehearsals and improve an already high-quality production.
He hopes the facility will encourage more students to study drama and dance.
It is hoped work will be complete for the start of the 2022 school year.
The state government has also provided Wollert’s Glowrey Catholic Primary School with $3 million for works on its third stage. The school opened in 2019.
When the project is finished, there will be nine new classrooms and adjoining common learning areas, a bigger multi-purpose hall, additional car parking spaces and more outdoor play spaces.
Mill Park MP Lily D’Ambrosio said: “This project will help Glowrey Catholic Primary and Marymede Catholic College and give local students and staff the best possible facilities.”
