Harlaw Academy pupils will soon be able to enjoy outdoor PE lessons at playing fields nearby instead of travelling almost three miles away to Hazlehead.
Councillors have backed a proposal that could see a fit for purpose dining hall, outdoor covered area and multi-use games area built at the Albyn Place school.
The upgrades, estimated to cost around £8.6 million, will address “insufficient” dining and PE facilities currently in place.
Council chiefs said the improvements were needed to address “critical” issues at the school that need “immediate” action.
Harlaw Academy – designed in 1836 by Archibald Simpson – and Ferryhill School are “top priorities” in the citywide review of Victorian Aberdeen schools.
Improvements promised for Harlaw Academy’s pavilion and playing fields
As part of that, the school’s pavilion at the Harlaw Road playing fields will be extended and refurbished to ensure it is up to par for use as changing rooms for pupils.
Currently, students have to take a bus to the playing fields at Groats Road for their outdoor PE classes.
Education bosses argued the time spent travelling to and from Hazlehead impacted vital learning and teaching time.
Works to the pavilion will also tie-in with the replacement Hazlehead Academy project.
The new 1,600-pupil secondary is to be built on Hazlehead’s current playing fields, so its pupils will need to use the playing fields at Groats Road for their PE classes.
Query over community use of Harlaw Road playing fields
The proposal recently went before the finance and resources committee.
Labour councillor Simon Watson said it was “excellent that Harlaw is getting the improvement it needs”.
But he questioned if other users of the Harlaw Road playing fields had been taken into account ahead of the proposed changes.
Mr Watson asked: “Has any thought been given to community groups and those who use the playing fields in the evenings?”
However, he was assured that the schools would only use the outdoor space during the day so it would not have an impact on any evening activities.
Service manager Andrew Jones did admit there could have been potential for a daytime clash.
He explained: “There are some groups and primary schools that use the fields during the day.
“But we have looked at the timing of that and the capacity of the field, and we are confident that it can accommodate those uses as well as Harlaw Academy.”
When will the Harlaw Academy improvement work begin?
Now the outline proposal has been approved, work on detailed designs will be carried out over the next year.
Should everything go to plan, construction at the pavilion will kick off next summer and is expected to last a year.
This will allow Harlaw Academy to relocate their PE classes to the playing fields, while Hazlehead Academy will host their lessons at Groats Road.
Extension work at Harlaw is due to start next summer too, and could take between nine to 12 months to complete.
Unlike at Ferryhill School and its likely temporary move to Walker Road in Torry, pupils will be able to continue attending Harlaw during the work.
Good news for St Machar too
Meanwhile, councillors unanimously approved £1.5m improvements for St Machar Academy.
Three old and unused temporary classrooms in the playground will be removed.
A new covered outdoor dining space will be added that can also be converted into an outdoor classroom and pupil social space.
Improved fencing will be installed to secure the school site, preventing members of the public from accessing the grounds.
A multi-use games area will be created next to the existing all weather sports pitch, with improvements to troublesome drainage too.
Work is expected to begin at St Machar later this year and is expected to be complete by next autumn.
The committee also gave the go-ahead to a £17.1 million refurbishment of Ferryhill School.
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