19 November 2020
North East Link Project – Exciting news for Marcellin College
Dear members of the Marcellin family
I am absolutely delighted to announce that after constructive and ultimately very fruitful negotiations with the North East Link Project group (NELP), that Marcellin College has been declared a ‘no go zone’ for the purposes of the construction of the North East Link. This is very positive news for our community.
You may be aware that the College has been engaged in negotiations in various forums for some time in relation to the possible temporary use of part of our land during the construction of the project. It has now been confirmed that this will not happen. In practical terms, this means that the College will have continued use of our sporting fields throughout the entire construction of the project.
Our substantial and immaculately manicured grounds not only provide a beautiful aesthetic, they are critical in providing the vast sporting experiences enjoyed by our students and Old Collegians sporting clubs. This recent decision now brings certainty to this continuing in the years ahead.
The College received confirmation of this wonderful outcome recently in correspondence from the Chief Executive Officer of NELP, Duncan Elliott. This infrastructure project is a huge undertaking and the NELP team have many complex and competing demands to negotiate in making it happen. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Mr Elliott and his staff for their willingness to listen carefully to the Marcellin voice and negotiate in good faith to get to this outcome.
Marcellin will continue to work closely with NELP once the project gets under way and they have expressed a willingness to work with us to find opportunities for student learning where possible, particularly in relation VET Pathways opportunities for our students. I am confident it will be a very constructive and productive ongoing partnership.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank those who have worked so hard to achieve this outcome for the College – Marcellin staff, Old Collegians, volunteers and advisors. It has been a significant, and ultimately successful, team effort. Great news for the future as we come towards the end of a very challenging year.
With blessings for the week ahead
John Hickey
Principal