RINGWOOD North primary and Eastwood primary schools were Maroondah region winners out of the state budget.
$3 million went to Ringwood North to build new learning areas and $350,000 to Eastwood Primary School for planning.
Eastwood Primary School principal Lee Ann Green said she was ‘‘thrilled’’ to receive the funds.
‘‘It means we can have all the documents ready to go out to tender for an announcement in the 2013-2014 budget,’’ she said.
The total upgrade to the school is expected to cost $5-6 million and will replace the existing buildings at the school that have not been upgraded since it opened in 1953.
‘‘There is no commitment yet on funding guarantees for the next budget, but we are certainly in a more positive position than we were two days ago," Ms Green said.
‘‘We are very pleased that in this tight budget where there was very little spent on education that we have been included.’’
Maroondah Council was hoping to get extra funding for libraries in the state budget, particularly for Ringwood library.
Maroondah Council chief executive officer Frank Dixon said libraries across the state had been awarded an extra $3.1 million towards capital costs.
He said that in the past four decades the state government and the council had gone from sharing a 50/50 split in library costs to the state government now providing funding for about 20 per cent.
‘‘We are pleased the funding has increased but more needs to be done.
‘‘We will be in there with a grant application (for the Ringwood Library) in the not too distant future.’’
Not everyone is a winner
EASTERN Transport Coalition chairwoman Samantha Dunn said the organisation was disappointed on missing out on funding for the Ringwood railway station refurbishment.
‘‘The station is in desperate need of an upgrade and has been for years. We want to achieve best mobility access for all users possible and need a commitment from the state government.’’
However, according to Maroondah mayor Rob Steane, the government has committed the funding to the upgrade, but said it would only be handed over in the last term of the current government.
Concept designs of the proposal have been released and the state government will review feedback before developing a final concept design for the station.
Maroondah Council was also hoping for another $2 million in funding to go towards the Ringwood aquatic facility but this did not happen.
‘‘It was probably to be expected,’’ Cr Steane said.
Council has already received $3 million from the state government but Cr Steane said the latest round of funding was hoped to be for the state of the art diving facility which has been incorporated into the centre’s plans.
Cr Steane said the diving facility was the second in the state and would be used by people from all across Melbourne.
‘‘We don’t expect the ratepayers to pay for a state diving facility that will be used by a number of members not just from Maroondah, Yarra or Knox,’’ he said. ‘‘It will be the second indoor diving facility in the state and it will also be the best.’’