NSW Government’s Share Our Space Program extended to four Hawkesbury schools

The move is part of the NSW Government’s Share Our Space Program, which will provide each of the four Hawkesbury schools with $5000 to help upgrade their facilities for community and school use.

The playgrounds will be open from 8am to 6pm, seven days a week, from April 16 to 27, and there will be a security guard on each site.

Grose View principal Damien Feneley said his school will be opening a number of playing areas including the basketball and tennis courts, and soccer fields, and their grassy areas for picnics.

He said the $5000 grant will provide some funds desperately needed to aerated and fertilise the playing field, and oil the timber playground equipment.

“There’s ongoing maintenance issues when you have 500 little feet running across a playing surface every day, and we only have tank and bore water to keep our grass alive,” he said.

“We also have some hardwood timber playgrounds - fixed equipment - but with all hardwood it needs oiling and is in desperate need for an upgrade in regards to maintenance and upkeep.”

Relieving principal of Windsor High, Kylie Thompson, said the school will be opening its multipurpose courts, basketball courts, cricket pitch and nets, and one of its big fields.

“There’s heaps of room here for kids and their families to come kick a ball, have a game, have a run around, use the courts, play basketball,” she said.

“It makes no sense that the schools are locked up in the holidays. We’re looking forward to the community coming in to use it.

”We’re using the grant to repair our soccer field in time for this year’s White Ribbon Soccer Cup which we host with local high schools in August.”

The four local grants are part of a $30 million government program being rolled-out at more than 80 public schools across the state, following a successful trial at a number of schools last summer holidays.

Education Minister Rob Stokes said: “We learned a lot from the pilot program – kids don’t want to be stuck indoors during the holidays, and communities respected and welcomed having access to their outdoor school facilities.”