City Beach Residential College gets $6 million redevelopment

CITY Beach Residential College has undergone a $6.44 million revamp.

The college boarding residency, which caters for 66 Year 7 to 12 students, has new facilities including three music rooms, a theatre room, games room, cafeteria, administration room, gym and meeting room.

The residency is targeted for students who live regionally, attend a public secondary school in Perth, and are recipients of a gifted and talented scholarship.

College Manager Dr Chris Chuck said the redevelopment, which began at the end of 2017, was something much needed to better facilitate the students boarding experience.

“There was a need – prior to the redevelopment we were split and had a shared arrangement with the International School of Western Australia next door,” he said.

“Our old administration was onsite but other facilities like the dining room and recreation room were on another side of the driveway, located in an old International School building.

“Having the students split across parts of the site was making it a bit complex, so we put together a business case to show the need of the students and college and the Department of Education jumped on board and said it was a worthy cause.”

Dr Chuck said the uptake of student boarders was “fairly consistent”, with some coming from as far north as Kununurra and as far south as Esperance and Albany.

“We sit at about 85 to 95 per cent capacity each year,” he said.

John Curtin College of the Arts, Perth Modern, Churchlands Senior High School, Shenton College and Fremantle College students use the boarding facility.

Dr Chuck said the college had received interest from future students from Subiaco’s new Bob Hawke College.