Dr Mike Kelly, Member for Eden-Monaro, is visiting Jindabyne today to officially open the new library at Snowy Mountains Grammar School (SMGS). The project is one of the first to be completed under the Federal Government’s ‘Investing in Our Primary Schools in the Twenty First Century’ program.

“Naturally, we were delighted with the opportunity this funding offered to the school and we quickly focussed on creating the best possible resource for our students in a reasonable time period,” principal of SMGS Andrew Rostron said.

“It actually took less than 10 months from the original concept to the completion of the building, and students will benefit from the result from the first day of term, 2010.”

The project used a local architect and local contractors and it was completed on time and on budget.

It not only includes a traditional library but also has a large resource room where students can connect to the internet for research and benefit from the state-of-the-art electronic whiteboards for lessons which integrate technology with traditional learning techniques.

A separate video conference room will allow students participating in distance education to fully interact with their teachers.

There are also two additional classrooms, which can be transformed into a large meeting area by retracting the wall in between.

The building uses passive cooling techniques, with windows and fans designed to promote airflow and the removal of hot air from the building.

“Even during the hottest days of January, the library remains cool and pleasant. Our architect, Jeff Robinson, did a terrific job of interpreting our requirements into a functional and beautiful building, which complements the school’s existing structures,” Mr Rostron said.

“Then Plum Constructions and their sub-contractors turned the plans into reality in record time. We are delighted with the results and look forward to our students reaping the benefits for many years to come,” he said.