|
Community Effort Breathes New Life Into Historic Classroom Early on Saturday 26 September the usually sleepy streets of Bassendean came to life as a dedicated group of parents, local business, local council and teachers delivered a new classroom on the back of a truck to Casa Mia Montessori Community School on Hamilton Street. This 87 year-old weatherboard classroom had been located at Bassendean Primary School since 1922. It had been scheduled to be demolished to make way for a new building. Local business owners and keen conservationists, Moss Johnson and partner, Nonie Jekabsons, recognized the heritage value of the building and wondered what they could do to preserve it. Fortunately they were aware that local community Montessorri school, Casa Mia, required an additional building. Coincidentally, Casa Mia had just successfully secured a $75,000 grant as part of the federal government’s Building The Education Revolution funding. Working closely with Moss and Nonie, Bassendean Primary School and the Department of Education and Training in their capacity as project managers, Casa Mia now have a lovely new library that is not only a beautiful character building and local landmark, but the whole project reinforces the principles of recycling, sustainability and conservation that are taught at the school and fully encouraged by the federal government’s stimulus package. Not only has Casa Mia benefited with the addition of a new building and a historic classroom has been saved, but it has brought a diverse section of the community together for mutually beneficial outcomes. Town of Bassendean Councillor Don Yates’ support has been invaluable, facilitating the structural engineers certificate from Greg Higham at Structerre at no cost to the school. Bassendean Primary School gave the building to Casa Mia and Wandoo Design and Construction have provided invaluable in-kind support, enabling this project to come to fruition. CONTACT: Shane Mazandarani 11 Hamilton Street, Bassendean, 6054 Photographs by Nonie Jekabsons TOP BACK |
