Sensory garden underway

The broader project will incorporate sensory and creative elements around the art room as well as a nature playground.

The project forms part of school plans to redevelop its school grounds as part of its continual growth cycle.

Along with a focus on continual academic improvement, the western end of the school grounds is beginning to take shape, centred around an environmental focus.

Last year, in conjunction with the Mt Worth Landcare group, a section of the school was replanted in native bushes and trees to beautify a

The proposal is one of the planks of the corporation’s forward financial plan to maximise future capabilities.

Current free services would continue to be without charge.

The service that operates 11 static and two mobile libraries in Baw Baw, Bass Coast and South Gippsland shires is aiming to keep costs to the member councils and users in line with the Consumer Price Index and to achieve a balanced cash budget each year.

The 2017-2018 budget and four-year library plan adopted at a special Board meeting also responded to community comments received from 2200 responses to a survey undertaken since February.

Interest in value added services and the revenue they could generate will be gauged through pilot testing of two or three services in emerging digital and creative fields.

Board chair Mikaela Power of Baw Baw Shire said the library plan aimed to build on strengths and position the service as flexible and innovative and reflecting the needs of the community.

For the first time the annual budget contains a 10-year financial plan to ensure its sustainable operation, she said.

A highlight of the budget for the next year is increased opening hours at the Drouin library.

It will be open for an extra five hours each week with opening times on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays brought forward to 9.30am.

Expenditure on the service’s library collection will increase by 10 per cent from the past financial year.

Membership of the WGRLC at the end of last financial year was 42,300, up 6000 over the past five years.

Almost 600,000 visits were made to the libraries throughout the three shires during the year, 855,000 items were borrowed and there were 65,000 public personal computer sessions, a 50 per cent rise on five years ago.

The 2017-2018 budget and the four-year library plan are available on the corporation’s website www.wgrlc.vic.gov.au section. It was also to create a habitat which would encourage native animals and birds to frequent.

School Council president Natalie Thorne said another section would soon be developed with a tree planting to take place to coincide with national tree planting day.

“Sitting alongside this is the creation of a wet area centred around a frog and mini-beast pond,” she said.

“This area has historically been a fantastic place for children to explore and search for a variety of small animal life for research and science purposes.

“Ellinbank Primary School believes that the school grounds should be an interesting and vibrant place where children can play, interact and research.

“The school would like to thank the Mt Worth Landcare group for its commitment to the local community initiatives and the improvement of public places.”

Ms Thorne said work on the native garden was completed over a single day by 10 people including parents, teachers, past and present students.

“We are really proud of the inclusive community spirit we have at the school that enables such enriching collaborative projects to be completed at the school,” she said.

“In addition to the Mt Worth Landcare group, we would also like to thank Baw Baw Garden Supplies for their generous support for this project.”

Ellinbank Primary School will hold an open day on Friday at 2pm.