By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
THE demolition of the abandoned Endeavour Hills Secondary College, which had become a haven for vandals, has begun.
The idle Amalfi Drive site will be used by Hallam Senior College’s Sports Academy which will be given partial access to the old campus by the Education Department.
Last month during a meeting convened by Four Oaks councillor Rafal Kaplon – and attended by City of Casey CEO Mike Tyler, Casey police’s Inspector Paul Breen, Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan and Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams – it was confirmed that the State Government would develop two to three soccer pitches at the site as well as a support facility.
The pitches will also be made available for the community under a shared use agreement which has yet to be developed between the City Of Casey and the Department of Education.
Cr Rafal Kaplon said he hoped development of the pitches would start at the beginning of the next financial year in mid-2016, with the next 12 months to be used on planning which will include determining whether two or three pitches will be set up.
He said the plan needed to be submitted for the state and council budgets.
“I am more than pleased that the community’s concerns and needs were listened to and acted upon by the State Government so quickly in response to my and council’s continued advocacy on these issues,” Cr Rafal Kaplon said.
“The current demolition of the buildings removes all risks to the community and the confirmation of a future educational use, along with a jointly developed soccer precinct, will provide the communities in the north of the city with much needed sporting infrastructure.
“Additionally, the new pitches will help ease the pressure on existing clubs and allow those on the waiting list to set up shop in Casey.”
In March a 14-year-old Cranbourne boy was charged with arson and a 15-year-old from Endeavour Hills arrested in relation to a fire which ripped through the abandoned Endeavour Hills Secondary College gym last year.
A person was seen fleeing the fire around 11.30pm on Thursday 20 November at the former high school building, which the City of Casey has a partial stake in.
Fourteen trucks attended the blaze which took at least an hour to bring under control and a further three hours to extinguish.
