St Mary’s School community is urging Macedon Ranges Shire Council to support a road closure for future growth and student safety at their Lancefield campus.
Raglan Street has had boom gates closing the road to vehicles during school hours for the past 35 years. Making that road closure permanent is expected to help the school meet needs into the future.
The school has reported a pressing need to construct more buildings on their land west of Raglan Street to accommodate growing enrolments.
Road closure is also thought to create a safer and better-connected school environment where students can move freely through this area between buildings.
The application attracted 83 submissions, with 78 in support of the move, and councillors heard submitters at a meeting last week.
Child play therapist/counsellor and school parent, Alannah Jansz, felt it was imperative that the road be closed for safety, security and general wellbeing of students and the school community.
“Pick-up and drop-off times are quite anxiety-ridden experiences,” she said.
“There is not that secure boundary to keep the kids in that space when you’ve got a lot of school traffic around. It is quite stressful.
“Just to know there is something there to stop kids going into those more dangerous zones will be helpful. It also makes the public more aware that this is a school zone.”
Also speaking in support of the change, fellow parent Louise Newnham said the school had adjusted to accommodate the increasing number of students but needed room to expand.
She said the library and art rooms had been converted into classrooms and the number of preps starting school this year had doubled since 2018.
“Imagination and creativity of the leadership team has been to maximise every space they have, but it cannot continue forever,” Ms Newnham said.
Raglan Street is Crown Land and not council owned. It is understood the school has been liaising with the state government and authorities about the potential changes. Council officers have worked with St Mary’s for several years regarding their request. The council is only responsible for determining whether or not to discontinue the road.
Speaking on behalf of the school, Michael McCarthy said the process to enact the road closure had been complicated but the school remained motivated to pursue the proposal.
“It is the best outcome for the school and the community with negligible adverse impact to any individual or group,” he said.
“The surrounding road network has been shown to have sufficient capacity to meet the existing and future traffic needs.”
According to a council officer report last month, daily traffic movement of about 100 vehicles has been recorded using the road.
They are not expected to be greatly impacted as part of the road closure with other ways to navigate the town.
Councillors are expected to make a decision on the matter at their October 25 scheduled meeting.
