Future of Redfern School finally decided

Since the school was closed many local NGO’s had their home there. They had been on a month-to-month lease and, over the last year, many of them had moved to the Redfern Waterloo Police Boys Club. South Sydney Community Aid (SSCA) was struggling to find a place - they had been offered the old Cleveland Street High School site but the board knocked it back because it was outside their catchment area. The City of Sydney Council provided a last minute reprieve but they had to leave Redfern Public School by 31 May.

SSCA recently moved to the former site of Alexandria Town Hall. Margery Whitehead, SSCA board member said, “We were dependent on someone to help find accommodation that the organisation could afford. In the end, and it was very much at the last minute, the City of Sydney said they would let us have space here for six months. This space is a really good place for the office and for most of the courses that we’re running and it has the advantage of having disabled access.”

Ms Whitehead said she hopes the City of Sydney will let them have the space for a longer-term arrangement. “Or they could provide some other space that would have enough room to allow us to run our painting classes. It really wouldn’t be possible to run those classes on this carpeted floor because we would probably mark the foor, even if we covered it with something. They’re an important conduit to our services.” SSCA services include health and safety programs, English classes, interpretation services, and probation and parole programs.

Then, last month, the Commonwealth and the State Governments came together to announce a national centre for Indigenous youth will be built in Sydney at Redfern Public School. Plans for the National Indigenous

Development Centre (NIDC) were unveiled in Redfern last month by the Minister for Redfern Waterloo, Frank Sartor, and the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC) Chairperson Shirley McPherson. The Minister for Redfern Waterloo, Frank Sartor, said the Redfern Waterloo Authority had helped negotiate the deal to establish a new youth precinct and showcase for Indigenous culture.

“The best way to improve the circumstances of Indigenous families in Redfern and Waterloo is by supporting a range of opportunities in education and employment,” Mr Sartor said.” This new Centre will help young people from this area and other communities achieve their full potential through mentoring, training and learning initiatives. ”It is expected to help up to 5,000 kids a year, when fully operational.” Ms McPherson said redevelopment of the former Redfern Public School site was expected to commence early next year and is due for completion in 2009.

“The ILC is proud to be taking a leading role in redeveloping the former Redfern Public School site for the benefit of current and future generations,” Ms McPherson said. Plans for the NIDC include a new 25-metre heated swimming pool and sports training field. The redevelopment includes construction of new multiuse classrooms and accommodation and dining facilities for up to 100 people. The existing Murawina Child Care Centre and four school buildings (including two heritage-listed buildings) will be refurbished.

The Centre will accommodate a number of established programs, including:

The Exodus Foundation, which will establish a tutorial centre for children, aged 10-14; the National Aboriginal Sports Corporation Australia, which runs a number of sporting and life development programs for Indigenous people encouraging health lifestyles through sport and education; the Lloyd McDermott Rugby Development Team, which provides opportunity for Indigenous youth to become involved in rugby union, netball and golf.

Community aid worker Kati Lengyel in new work accommodation Photo: Ali Blogg

[South Sydney Herald August 2006]