Community makes progress on finding a use for Meander School

Meander Valley Council held a second community forum in October allowing Meander residents to contribute ideas for the use of the former Meander School site.

Held on 27 October at Meander Hall, the nonfacilitated session grouped interested people according to potential use themes such as tourism or learning and training.

According to the council the next step is to invite expressions of interest in using the building, followed by the formation of a group to shortlist applicants.

Shortlisting of the applicants will happen in February 2022 with Meander Valley Council deciding the successful tenderer in March.

Many residents of the Meander community believe the continued use of the buildings by the current user, the Beacon Foundation, is a foregone conclusion.

But some are holding out hope that people in the Meander community, who historically have contributed a lot to the school, will get at least some use of the site. 

Recently the Mercury newspaper revealed that the old Queenstown school has been established as PressWEST, a community art centre which includes printmaking, exhibition and studio spaces, and holds workshops and artist residencies.

The new president of Meander Area Residents and Ratepayers Association Kim Booth is optimistic, saying that he looks forward to working constructively with the council and the community to see the old school retained and utilised for the whole community.

‘The school represents an exciting opportunity for the community to use the infrastructure for a myriad of uses,’ Mr Booth said.

‘It is a fresh canvas on which to paint a great future for the whole community, to achieve their visions and build cohesiveness and social capital.

‘The final result will be decided by the Meander Valley Council following public consultation, after distilling what will no doubt be a myriad of suggestions into a workable outcome.

‘Just some of those dreams include farmers markets, men’s and women’s sheds, education and training, a tourism information and local history hub, a first nation’s centre, performance spaces for arts and theatre, makers workshops, a wooden boat building school, musical instrument making, community kitchen, crèche and children’s playground and community garden.’

At MARRA’s recent annual general meeting, retiring president Bodhi McSweeney congratulated members for their commitment in campaigning to see the Meander School now being available for community purposes.

MARRA has raised around $49,500 towards the cost of legal fees incurred during its successful appeal. Anyone with unused goods to donate for sale by MARRA can drop them at Timber World’s offices in Deloraine or Meander.

New MARRA office bearers include Eddie Tuleja as vice president, Kerin Booth as secretary and Diana Tuleja as treasurer.