Hello Community! How are you all? We hope you’ve been toasty warm through the winter months and are looking forward to spring. We certainly are! Seedlings and bulbs are beginning to sprout, as is our project. It’s been a little while since we’ve been in touch so we thought it was time to give you a project update and let you know what’s been going on and what’s coming up next for the Green Mountain Community School initiative.
PROJECT UPDATE
School Site
As per our last update - the potential property we were considering earlier this year was ruled out due to its close proximity to a mobile phone base station.
However, working through this opportunity with the landholder was really insightful and has helped us refine our strategy for securing land moving forward.
We discovered that land with RU1 zoning is permissible for a school and that interested landholders could sub-divide and lease/sell a parcel of land that they otherwise could not for residential or other purposes.
This process would be led by us - we submit the Development Application in collaboration with the landholder.
We continue to work with a town planner and liaise with council staff about site possibilities and requirements.
Can you help us find a school site? We’ve put together this post on our website which outlines exactly what we are looking for. We’d be grateful if you could please share it with your networks and get in touch with us if you have any leads or suggestions.
Financial Planning
We have been reviewing our financial projections based on starting the school on vacant land (as opposed to a site with an existing building) and are preparing a proposal for landholders and donors.
We have local business owners, our accountant and consulting town planners working on this as we speak.
We are also preparing to meet with potential donors and investors to secure capital and are consulting with a local fundraising expert who is generously guiding us through this process.
Big thanks to our new community members: Elle, Jodie and two anonymous donors who contributed to our GoFundMe fundraiser. Your generous support has been noticed and appreciated - thank you. Every little bit helps.
Community Building
We would love to bring you all together to meet (finally! after two years of limited social gatherings) and celebrate the community that supports the project
We are crafting an event where we can connect amongst the beauty of nature, relax with our families and friends whilst children have a taste of what Green Mountain Community School will offer, and engage as a group in some learning about our local First Nations Peoples’ Culture
Next time we are in touch we’ll have some more details and dates to share with you all. Stay tuned!
So as you can see, a LOT of important work has been happening in the background. The team continue to meet each week to work on the site search, finances, communication and fundraising strategies. Big thanks to the 4 core team members who are so committed and so passionate about making GMCS a reality in the Shoalhaven. We are very much STILL HERE (4 years on) working away in the background, keeping the dream alive, making connections and having loads of conversations within our community network. If you would like to contribute in big or small ways, please do reach out and let us know. Or just send us some encouragement - it means a lot!
Stay well everyone and we will be in touch soon!
Warm regards, The Green Mountain Community School Core Team
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