Sod turned for Bonner Primary

Chris Bourke has announced he’s been out to Bonner with the shiny shovel to kick off construction of a primary school.

“The ACT Government continues to provide modern and innovative schools, and Bonner Primary School is a model for schools of the future,” Dr Bourke said.

The new school, designed by consultant design architects HBO+EMTB, aims to achieve a five Green Star Design rating from the Green Building Council of Australia. Among the environmental features is an Environment Centre, designed as a separate building element with an adjoining garden area so that students could plant, grow and harvest vegetables.

Other advanced facilities include an all weather artificial grass area, leading edge IT wireless access, interactive whiteboards, plasma touch screens in all preschool and kindergarten classrooms, and virtual learning technology, allowing connected learning with students in remote locations.

“The school is located in the suburb named after the former Senator Neville Bonner, the first indigenous parliamentarian. The streets are also named after significant indigenous peoples who have shaped our indigenous history. In keeping with the indigenous theme of the suburb, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history will be fully integrated into the school, through artwork, the landscape and into the school buildings,” Dr Bourke said.