Verney Road School site future?

This week in Parliament, Nationals’ Member for Shepparton District, Kim O’Keeffe, has asked the Minister for Education, Natalie Hutchins, what is the future plan of the current Verney Road School site when the school relocates and expands to the former Wanganui Secondary School site.  

 Ms O’Keeffe has also written to the Minister for Education in recent months about the future of Shepparton and Mooroopna’s three vacant redundant secondary school sites, Mooroopna Secondary College, McGuire College and an update on the timeframe and budget allocation of the relocation of Verney Road School to the former site of Wanganui Secondary College.  

 “I still have concerns about the full financial commitment to the full development and relocation of all students and teachers to the former site of Wanganui College for Verney Road School.” 

“The current Verney Road School site will leave another redundant site in a residential area.”  

“We have a number of former secondary school sites, that are sitting locked up and redundant since the amalgamation of all four of our secondary state schools, which are all located in residential areas.”

“People living in these locations want community pride returned to their neighbourhoods.” 

“The school sites have boarded up windows and are an eyesore to the community, with the Verney Road School site looking like the next one in line.” 

 Ms O’Keeffe said that she has had continual interactions and conservations from all parts of the community regarding these current abandoned sites, with the possibility of the Verney Road School site joining that list.”  

“The community wants answers and a plan for the future for all of the sites and I call on the Minister to consult with our community and provide the community with answers."