School build back on track

THREE months after construction of their new buildings ground to a halt, Garfield Primary School can look forward to the job’s completion.
Parents contacted the Gazette concerned about the development of the new buildings at the Railway Avenue school.
The builder contracted by the Education Department to carry out the work went into liquidation, and since then the site has been an eyesore for the community and parents were frustrated with their kids having only “half a school.”
Kylie Lewis is a parent and is on the school council.
She said it looked like the builders “dropped their tools” and walked off the site, and since then, no work had happened.
“We’d like to see something happen – it’s pretty bad to have to look at this every morning,” she said.
“It’s just been left like this.”
A spokesperson for the department said the project was back on track.
“The department has been working to find a suitable replacement builder for the Garfield Primary School project – ensuring the project is completed as designed – after the original builder went into liquidation,” the spokesperson said.
“The department is in the final stages of negotiating the contract to secure a new builder.
“Once the builder has been appointed, the department will have a clear indication of when it will be completed.”
President of the school council Stuart Horsburgh said he was glad to hear that progress had been made and that there was a suggestion that builders would visit the school during the term holidays.
“If we can come back and see it looking even cleaner – that would be a big boost for the school community,” he said.
Principal Michael Smith said parents and students had been extremely patient in what hadn’t been an easy time for the school community.
He said it was “really positive” following a meeting with the Education Department and that the department was taking the concerns of the community seriously.
“We all look forward to a new school being completed,” he said.
“The community have been frustrated but they have been very patient, wondering why it was taking so long.”