By Parker McKenzie
Kallista Primary School officially opened its new undercover basketball and netball area on Friday 29 April, where parents, students and teachers at the school were joined by Monbulk MP Daniela De Martino and members of the Sherbrooke Suns Basketball team.
Stacey Piper, a Wurundjeri and Djadjawurrung woman who was also a parent at the school, gave an Acknowledgement to Country in Woi Wurrung.
“I want to acknowledge that language is a language that was spoken here on country for 1000s of generations, since before the last ice age,” she said.
“That language is something we’re in the process of waking up, we don’t say it died, we say that it went to sleep for a few generations.”
Principal Christine Finighan thanked everyone who made the new sports facilities possible.
“You will not believe if you never saw what this was like before, it’s hard to explain,” she said.
“For those of us who know what it was like this is a transformation and a wonderful facility for our school and for the community.”
She said without funding from the Victorian Government, over $500,000, the project wouldn’t have been possible.
“The Department of Education and the Ministry of Education have been supportive over every step of the way,” Ms Finighan said.
“We’re grateful, excited and happy to have this marvellous sports stadium and recreation space for our school and a local community to enjoy.”
The project was started in 2020 and received funding through the government’s Minor Capital Works Fund.
Ms De Martino said everybody at the school worked hard to make the undercover area a reality.
“Thank you James Merlino, some of you might know that he was the member for the last 20 years before me, and I know that he did a lot to make sure that this happened as well,” she said.
“I really look forward to coming back and visiting you all here again, and seeing what you’ve all been up to.”
Ms De Martino cut the ribbon on the new facility, marking its official opening before students heard from the two American players from the Sherbrooke Suns Basketball team, who then led them in basketball drills.
