The Lakes College: Multi-Purpose Hall opens

Published 4:00pm 20 October 2022

Words by Kylie Knight

The Lakes College community has celebrated the official opening of its $7.8 million Multi-Purpose Hall this morning.

The official opening was an occasion to celebrate the new building but also reflect on the vision and determination to make it happen, and how far the college has come since it opened in 2005.

Masters of ceremony were College Vice Captains Joshua Brinsmead and Octavia Chivange.

Principal Nicole Gregory said the event was a chance celebrate a significant part of the expanding chapter of The Lakes College.

“Our story is 18 years old this year have such a magnificent facility where we can meet as a whole community in addition to having some teaching spaces, we’re able to share in celebrations, in chapels, events like this and of course sport.

|“These are spaces for our growing community and this building feels a little like we’ve come of age.”|

She paid tribute to former principal Simon Armstrong and the college’s former business manager for “holding this vision in your hearts”.

She thanked those involved in the design and build of the facility as well as the State Government for providing $2.35 million towards the $7.8 million project.

The families who made donations to help cover the cost of the flooring were also praised, with $34,000 of the $70,000 needed to install it raised.

The new facility completes stage one of the college’s Multi-Purpose Hall, which will support its sport and performing arts programs and also provide a contemporary indoor space for the whole college to come together.

The facility will be shared with the Moreton Bay Region’s sporting community as they will have the opportunity to partner with the college through external venue hire.

It has four convertible indoor courts that are equipped for basketball (two courts that include a show court plus three score boards), badminton (four courts), volleyball (two courts), netball, futsal and other sporting opportunities.

The new building also has three classrooms, with one of these being a dedicated strength and conditioning room, a large office and staffroom, change rooms and toilets designed to cater for both school and community use, storage rooms, and an additional car park.

Exciting addition to campus

Former The Lakes College Board Chair Gary Adsett said it was exciting to enter the building and hear the “wonderful energy of student voices” and to realise the venue was already “coming alive”.

“This is a realisation of a vision, a vision which was to complete the first stage of the college’s master plan,” he said.

He recalled a board meeting five or six years ago when Mr Armstrong was speaking passionately about the need for the facility.

He also spoke about prayers for fine weather as the school held celebration evening outside each year and looking forward to holding those events in the new hall from now on.

Mr Adsett thanked the Uniting Church and the State Government for supporting the vision and investing in the building.

|“It’s now time to look forward and see what this place can do in the fabric of what is The Lakes College,” he said.|

Students benefit from growth

Foundation student Sienna Russell, now in Year 11, spoke about how much the college has developed since she started Prep in 2011.

“I have been lucky to see many state-of-the-art buildings emerge and excited to see all of this happening around me,” she said.

“I can confidently say, I have learnt something new in each of these buildings.

“We are truly fortunate to have access to these learning spaces as each new build takes us one step closer to creating an even greater school.”

State Member for Bancroft Chris Whiting said it was an historic day and an honour to represent Education Grace Grace at the opening of such a magnificent facility.

“I look around and I see what has been achieved here and what will be achieved here … it reflects what we’ve heard in three principles today – belonging, believing and becoming,” he said.

Mr Whiting said nothing was more important than delivering the best education to the next generation in Queensland.

A plaque commemorating the opening of the hall was unveiled by Mr Whiting, Mrs Gregory, Mr Adsett and Mr Armstrong.

Students were then given the chance to play a game of volleyball, demonstrating just one of the ways the facility will be used.

To find out more about The Lakes College, head to the website