Almost two years have passed since classes were dismissed for final time at Werribee’s Glen Devon Primary School.
Since then, a fire last November gutted several buildings at the Golden Avenue campus and it has become a derelict eyesore — an embarrassment. As reported by the Weekly on September 25, it is home to squatters and an easy target for vandals. Firefighters fear another blaze could spread deadly asbestos fibres into the air.
Werribee CFA captain Michael Wells told us they had received numerous complaints from the public about the school.
What will it take for the Education Department and the state government to act?
Education Minister Martin Dixon has said the department had conducted a cost-benefit analysis last December to determine the feasibility of retaining the fire-damaged facilities for education purposes.
Mr Dixon said the department was still talking to interested parties including Wyndham Council, which wants to use the site as a community education centre. If no commitment was forthcoming from the council or any government department, the site would be sold.
The question has to be asked, what is taking so long?
If it was close to an election and we were in a swinging seat, you can bet the future of the site would have been decided long ago.
The government is spending $300,000 on a study to investigate the viability of a commuter ferry from Werribee South to Melbourne.
What a waste of time. Surely that money could be better spent.
It’s time for the Education Department to stop dithering and decide one way or another whether the Glen Devon buildings will be retained or demolished. Enough is enough.
Cameron Tait is chief of staff at the Weekly.
