CLEVELAND District State High School will get a long-awaited $6 million multi-purpose hall.
Capalaba MP Don Brown announced the funding on Wednesday and said he expected the project to go to tender next month.
The cash injection formed part of the state government’s $200 million Advancing Queensland Schools funding package.
“I know how important this facility is and I am proud to have delivered for our community,” Mr Brown said.
The school, which has about 2000 students, has used the 400-seat Smith Street hall for special events.
Whole-of-school assemblies are held outside in an undercover area within school grounds.
Principal Paul Bancroft said he hoped for a multi-purpose building which could seat at least 2000 people.
He said he started to push for the larger hall about 28 years ago when he first began as principal, with the fight for funding assisted by the school’s P&C.
“It has taken a long time for people to recognise the need,” Mr Bancroft said.
A petition calling for the multi-purpose hall, which was signed by 2383 people, was tabled in state parliament last November.
Lyndsay Byrne, who project managed the case for the hall on behalf of the P&C, said she was delighted the the funding had been approved.
“We are very excited for the future and the possibilities this can provide not only for the school but for the greater community,” she said.
Treasurer Curtis Pitt said $40 billion would be spent on public infrastructure over the next four years, including a $10.7 billion capital program for 2016-17, which would support 31,000 jobs.
“Latest State Budget projections including mid-year updates show Queensland in 2019-20 will spend approximately $1,177 per person on infrastructure in the general government sector.
The $200 million Advancing Queensland Schools program to deliver 98 school infrastructure projects was included in that spending.