North Fitzroy Community Outdoor Learning Hub

I think it is a great idea to make use of the space for our school and the community. Great design idea, the children and adults need this type of community play area.

i think the kids a FNPS deserve 190K for an updated play area

I think it is a great idea to make use of the space for our school and the community. Great design idea

To respond to some of the concerns expressed below, the School is listed as a partner on this project and very much supports the initiative as a way to secure funding to improve a playground in need of replacement. I can see it is not as clear as it might have been that the space WILL encompass play areas for students, has scope for more climbing structures, and is not just an amphitheatre.

The opportunity is to better connect the playground to the library by relocating the bin area, enhance the landscaping, and improve the aged playground equipment which is certainly much loved, but also in need of replacement. None of this would jeopardise safety during school hours, and I'd encourage anyone concerned to contact the School Principal. Also, the design is not finalised and this is an application to secure some much-needed funding with plenty of scope to resolve details and engage with people about the design detail later.

The Pick My Project initiative is supposed to be about funding for community initiatives, and we saw this as a great way to enhance the school for the benefit of the whole community. We were already scoping improvements to this part of school grounds and looking for ways to connect to the library, however we can't afford something like this without external funding. Also worth noting that all State Schools are required to allow access to their grounds for community use currently, and the usual arrangements would be in place (i.e. no community access during school hours etc).

Hope this helps clarify why the School thinks this is a great project.

Andrew Davies (School Council President)

I too second the most recent comments with concers about this space. Why not just re-design the area for the younger kids if the budget allows. It seems like the actual benefit hasn’t been thought through very well, particularly the shared concept with the library.

Also, as a resident from across the street, who stands to live opposite the proposed new feature of NFPS , I am not in favour of an amphitheater style set-up. People already drink alcohol and smoke in the school at night (usually teenagers) and this would invite them to hang out there even more so.
Invest in new play equipment for the younger kids, keep it simple and don’t complicate things.

What seems to be a nice idea on the face of it has several issues. Please address the following questions:

- What would the children at NFPS gain from such a proposal? This is the little kids' play area, and is utilised by everyone before and after school. Essentially, the little kids would lose a play area during lunch and recess. The preps would have to then play amongst the bigger kids. If the playground needs to be urgently replaced, then replace it with another playground so the kids don't lose out

- Even stranger is the wish for an outdoor area for the library when one of the best-known gardens in Melbourne is right across the road

- Would it be officially part of the library or part of the school? Legally, I mean. Since one is State Govt and the other Local Govt. Since it is essentially on the school's land (unless I'm confused by the drawing) would library books need to be borrowed before they are taken out of the library? If so, why not just borrow the book and go sit under a tree in the Ed gardens?

- A library is a public service to be utilised by all, whereas schools need to be concerned with the safety and protection of children. Use during school hours would raise safety issues, as noted by Melfly

I fail to see any benefit to either the school or the community, and I don't support this project. The picture is nice though.

The adventure playground is a very well utilised and essential part of north fitzroy primary school. The proposal seeks to remove it. As one of only two play grounds on the site it is the space young children congregate before, during and after school. I totally agree with Ahalloran and Joannabanana. I can’t support a proposal that removes a space that is well used and well loved by the kids and replaces it with a generic community space that may only be used outside of school hours. Use during school hours by the public would obviously raise safety issues. If another community space is required in the precinct there is ample opportunity for the integration of an amphitheater or community gathering space in Edinburgh Gardens.

I completely agree with the sentiment of the last two comments. How can the school support a proposal that reduces play space for the children when the space available is already so small? There is an abundance of outdoor reading and community gathering space right next door in Edinburgh Gardens. I am a parent with a young child at the school and a building professional who works on the design of urban spaces. There is no doubt the school could upgrade the adventure playground space, but it should be done entirely for the benefit of the primary school children who use it every day, not the occasional community group who already has so many other choices of gathering spaces. I sincerely hope this project doesn't go ahead.

I totally echo alloharan’s comments. The younger kids love the adventure playground and I’m sceptical about the ‘unused space’ - the bin area isn’t that large???? The school grounds are small and kids have few areas to play on equipment and some kids absolutely love the sandpit - retaining this playspace must be a top priority. Being a heavy user of the library with toddlers, I’ve never felt the need to go sit outside - we go to the park next door if we want to be outside! Without seeing the plans, I cannot vote for this, despite Anne’s enthusiasm for the project. Please provide more detail somewhere either on the website or locally near the library/school.

I have some questions:

Does the proposal reduce the size of the school playground?

Is there still proper separation between the school and the public?

Does this mean the removal of the adventure playground- a favourite area for the younger students

The library already has an underused rooftop outdoor reading area. Is it necessary to expand this?

Overall I think the school has limited outdoor play space. If this was reduced for the benefit of the public , I don’t see why the school is keen to sacrifice this space.

I think the existing rooftop space could be better Italians by the public and the school , making this project unnecessary

Without viewing actual plans it’s hard to really get a feel for this idea

This will be a huge asset to the school.

Brilliant idea for community learning

Great project idea that will benefit everyone

Great idea - a 'must do' project which seeks to leverage an area for the use and utility of both the school community and the broader local community. It has upside for both school students, library users and all who live, work and play in the area.

new outdoor community space that will link to Bargoonga nganjin north fitzroy library
WHAT A TOP IDEA
put in the votes and lets get a new space to enjoy :)

Fabulous addition to the library

This is a great project. It will provide a new outdoor community space that will benefit the school, the library and the local community. The new outdoor space will replace the old fence. It will compliment the new library to continue the community focussed reinvigorated heart of North Fitzroy.