The symbolic soil-turning for the facility in Term 3 this year was an exciting milestone for the College. As the centre takes shape, it reflects the College’s commitment to creating an inclusive vibrant learning community that is unique to Warrnambool. The Edmund Rice Centre is a collaboration between Baldasso Cortesse architects and Nicholson Construction, working together to build the multi-million dollar project which aims to accommodate up to 250 Year 9 students in the 9@RICE Program.
The journey toward completing the Edmund Rice Centre is a thrilling one, marked by foresight, planning, and dedication. A building permit has been approved and construction has begun, and is expected to take 18 months to complete, ready to occupy from the start of the 2025 school year. The College is confident the project will be delivered with minimal disruption to staff and students.
Positioned adjacent to Mercy Place Aged Care Facility at the rear of the College’s McAuley Campus, the Edmund Rice Centre’s strategic placement plans to see intergenerational ties and community integration nurturing both academic growth and values like compassion and social awareness throughout the Year 9 program.
The development of the Edmund Rice Centre will facilitate the remaining consolidation of the Emmanuel Staff and Students to the one campus from 2025, and provide an exciting, contemporary learning environment reflecting the diverse approaches to learning the 9@RICE Program constitutes.
Emmanuel College Principal, Peter Morgan, emphasises that the Edmund Rice Centre represents the largest and most extensive project in the College’s 151-year history.
“The development of the Edmund Rice Centre will facilitate the remaining consolidation of the Emmanuel Staff and Students to the one campus from 2025, and provide an exciting, contemporary learning environment reflecting the diverse approaches to learning the 9@RICE Program constitutes.
“I am extremely grateful for the work of College Business Manager Stephen Kerr, and the support of the College Building and Finance Committees and their expert advice that helps us plan and undertake these projects,” Peter said.
Designed to cater to the unique requirements of the 9@RICE program, this facility boasts adaptable science labs, versatile classrooms, and breakout learning spaces for the program curricula Wisdom, Communication, and Discovery. Encouraging collaborative learning, interdisciplinary studies, and critical thinking, these zones create dynamic engagement between educators and students. The auditorium within the centre serves as a hub for year-level assemblies and presentations. This sense of unity and camaraderie is supported by a full-size indoor sports court.
The facility will also house a food technology kitchen, art classroom, materials technology space and advanced media/communications room. The outdoor learning courtyards will also provide flexible spaces for students to connect with nature, express creativity, and collaborate.
The architects have been consulting with staff who will work in the new facility to capture the unique learning and teaching requirements of the 9@RICE program; a new program which began in 2022.
The commitment to proceed with this project has been carefully considered and planned over an extensive period of time, and follows a comprehensive feasibility study and extensive review of the College masterplan. As a result, Emmanuel College will be relocating the now 9@RICE campus from the Canterbury road site, and consolidating on to McAuley campus. This enables the College to deliver an exciting, first-class learning experience that will best meet the future needs of all students throughout their secondary school journey.
The College community eagerly anticipates the opening of the Edmund Rice Centre, ushering an era of educational excellence. As the College embarks upon this exciting journey, it will engage with the community to answer questions and provide regular updated information about the project.
