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Wavell State High School’s New Performing Arts Centre Coming Soon

Wavell State High School (SHS) students are rejoicing as the construction of the new Performing Arts Centre was announced. For the year 2017-2018, Queensland Government already released its $4.8 million budget for the construction. This is just a part of the $6 million proposed investment of the government for “Advancing Queensland Schools”.

“The Palaszczuk Government will invest $6 million to build a new performing arts hall at Wavell State High as part of our $200 million Advancing Queensland Schools funding package …Our government is determined to give every student in every school the best possible education. That means delivering the teachers, curriculum and school facilities we need to give students the best chance at success,” State MP for Nudgee Leanne Linard said.

 

The Anticipated Upgrade

Photo credit: Wavell SHS/Twitter

Wavell SHS already issued two formal calls in 2013 and 2015 for a new facility. Arts Head of Department Kate Battams also indicated that the old hall could not cater the school’s more than 1,200 arts students and 14 extra-curricular performance clubs and groups.

Now that the budget has been approved and the tender closed earlier this month, Principal Jeff Major hopes that the construction will soon commence. He is hoping for an early July kick-off, with a scheduled completion by mid-2018. To view the draft plans that the school has already prepared for the Performing Arts Centre, click here.

 

Importance of Performing Arts

Photo credit: Wavell State High School/Facebook

Involvement in the performing arts allows students’ multiple intelligences to be acknowledged and developed. The benefit to students embraces all subject disciplines, improves their communication skills, and develop self-esteem.

Aside from these benefits, students can also improve their self-expression and interpersonal skills.

“The school needs a fit-for-purpose venue to support their excellent music and performing arts programs …I’m looking forward to seeing the difference this performance hall makes to education at Wavell State High School,” Ms. Linard said.

Wavell SHS deserves this upgrade in performing arts facility to continue nurturing the students’ real talents in drama, singing, and dancing. Check out their website and Facebook page for updates.

Wavell Height’s Cressey Street Bridge will Transform into a Cycle-Friendly Bridge to Promote Active Living

The old timber bridge of Cressey Street will soon be replaced with a stronger bike-friendly structure. The half million dollar project is expected to be completed in July under the contractor CPM Group Pty Ltd. The bridge will still be passable during the construction, but detours and closures may be required.

 

Tendering

(Photo credit: www.thecpmgroup.com.au)

CPM Group Pty Ltd won the project with an offer of $586,811 against Abergeldie Constructions Pty Ltd ($516,268) and Pensar Civil Pty Ltd ($444,424). Clearly, CPM did not offer the lowest pricing plan, but was still chosen to reconstruct the bridge because their proposal was a strong and sturdy structure that is suitable for a bike-friendly bridge, with complete details.

Abergeldie proposed a structure lacking of durability and maintenance requirements with limited details on the design, while Pensar only included general construction methodology and lacked specific details on structures.

To view other awarded tenders for other projects, check the Brisbane City Council’s website.

 

The Future Cressey Bridge

(Photo credit: Fons Heijnsbroek/Flickr)

The original plan of the footbridge reconstruction was to widen it to help people pass easily and promote a spacious cycleway. Infrastructure Committee Chairwoman Amanda Cooper said that the bridge will also feature bicycle-friendly handrails.

“The new bridge will more than double in width to 3m, allowing people to more easily pass each other and will also feature cycle-friendly handrails,” Cr. Cooper said.

 

Benefits of Cycling

(Photo credit: CC0 Public Domain/Max Pixel Free Great Picture)

This is part of a move to encourage cycling and spending time outdoors in Wavell Heights. According to Councilor Adam Allan, the reconstruction of the Cressey Bridge will give reasons to the residents to go outdoors and have an active living.

“Wavell Heights is a great spot to go for a bike ride and enjoy some time outdoors with a range of local parks and community facilities on offer,” Cr Allan said.

Here are some benefits of bicycle riding.

1. Cardiovascular Benefits

Cycling offers the same cardio benefits that you can get from other forms of exercise, without exerting too much effort. Research says that people who have healthy cardio were less likely to experience high blood pressure and heart failures.

2. Muscle Strength

Pedaling strengthens muscles on thighs, hips, and rear end. Healthy leg muscles helps in having a healthy heart, higher metabolism, solid core strength, and improved stamina (and for girls, nice buttocks!)

(Photo credit: Colin Rose/Wikimedia Commons)

3. Lose Weight and Belly Fat

Weight loss is really one of the biggest benefits of cycling (as well as other exercises). Daily routine biking can fight weight gain and waistline expansion.

4. Prevent Cancer

Maintaining healthy weight and regular exercise like cycling always lowers the risk of getting cancer, along with eating healthy food.

5. Injury Recovery

Cycling helps preserve cartilage. Along with swimming, this is a form of exercise that is gentle on joints, which could improve knee pain, osteoarthritis, foot problems, back pain, and impact-related injuries.

Lastly, cycling can make you feel better and younger. It promotes self-esteem because it makes you feel healthy and fit.

It is also recommended to cycle all the way to work or school, instead of just sitting in a car or on a bus, which can be easier after the reconstruction of the Cressey Bridge.

Wavell Heights Dental Glow Will Still Bring Healthy Smiles

“No Gap Mouthgard”

More than just a family-friendly clinic that delivers quality services, Wavell Heights Dental Glow continues to extend their helping hand to the community of local athletes in its area. Dr. Alex Timms runs the clinic’s dental community program called “No Gap Mouthguard”.

Dr. Alex Timms
(Photo credit: www.dentalglow.com)

The No Gap Mouthguard is a program that conducts mouthguard clinics at the local sporting clubs. Believing that mouthguards are essential to protect and give healthy smiles to the athletes, young and adult, Wavell Heights Dental Glow provides mouthguards to numerous local sporting teams including St. Andrews Women’s Hockey Club, Valleys Women’s Hockey Club, Everton Park Junior Rugby Union Football Club, North Junior Rugby Union Football Club, and Valley’s Diehards Rugby League Football Club.

 

Importance of Mouthguards

A mouthguard is a soft plastic dental appliance used to prevent teeth, mouth, cheeks, tongue, jaw, and gums injuries. The concept of using a mouthguard was said first introduced in boxing. Nowadays, mouthguards are essential protective implements for other sports like hockey, football, and other sports where the risk of oral injuries is high. Mouthguards act as a shock absorber to further prevent serious injuries, including nerve damage.

Mouthguard for TMJ
(Photo credit: Mik81/Wikimedia Commons)

Apart from sports, mouthguards are also used to treat medical conditions such as Bruxism and Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorder. Bruxism is the involuntary clenching or grinding of teeth, especially at night, while TMJ disorder is the difficulty to move the jaw. The mouthguards used for treating TMJ are made of rigid acrylic material and are often called splint.

Mouthguards play an important role in providing protection for our teeth and gums for whatever reason it may be. Further information about the No Gap Mouthguard program can be viewed through the Wavell Height Dental Glow’s website.

 

Now Part of Dental Glow

Same team and same dental care
(Photo credit: Wavell Heights Dental Surgery/Facebook)

The Wavell Heights Dental Surgery is now a part of Dental Glow, but will still be operating within its normal trading hours with the same dental team. All Health Funds will still be accepted and the clinic is still located at 262 Rode Road. The only changes that the community will see are the changes in the clinic’s name and website.

Wavell Heights Dental Glow Facebook Page

 

Swim School Wants to Build on Wavell Heights Bowling Green

A swim school business is setting its eyes on the Northern Suburbs Bowls Club in Wavell Heights to build a new pool facility.

Aquatic Achievers, which operates several swim schools in Brisbane, submitted a development application with the Brisbane City Council to replace a bowling green, saying it is underutilised by the bowls club.

The site is owned by the city council and is part of the land being used by Northern Suburbs Bowls Club, Brisbane Christian Assembly, Kung-Fu Boxing Brisbane and C&K Wavell Heights Kindergarten and Preschool.

The city council has confirmed that they have received an application for an indoor aquatic centre and that they are currently studying the proposal. The proposal will cover 1,078 sq m of the city council land, which subsequently gets used as soccer fields.

Should the plan push through, the Wavell Heights site would be added to Aquatic Achievers swim schools in Aspley, Chandler, Gumdale, North Lakes and Paddington.

According to the application lodged by Aquatic Achievers, the development will not have a potential impact on residential amenity since it is considerably detached from nearby residential areas.

The proposed indoor sport and recreation facility will include an above-ground swimming pool, a children’s play zone, a library, a training area and amenities.

Aquatic Achievers teaches children as young as four years old. Their lessons are skills-based and age-sensitive. More than 9,000 students are currently learning from Aquatic Achievers swim schools. Visit the Aquatic Achievers website to find out more.

Wavell Heights Student Soars High in Summer Stint

Summer turned out to be a superb holiday for Wavell Heights student Georgina Osborn as she got the chance to perform for the Great Moscow Circus.

The Year 12 student was requested to perform on the flying trapeze after one performer got injured. She joined the Great Moscow Circus one year ago. She started working at the backstage and filling in the gaps before and after performances.

Her break came when she replaced one of the flying trapeze performers in December. She performed two times a day and six days a week in a span of six weeks.

Ms Osborn knows that it takes hard work when she joined the circus, but all is worth it as she loves performing. “That feeling you get when you are entertaining a crowd, I love it,” she exclaimed.

The young trapeze flyer was only three years old when she started doing basic circus tricks like forward rolls. She improved her skills as she trained at Circus Arts Brisbane.

In the future, she hopes to join Cirque du Soleil or Hudson’s.

Wavell Heights Teacher’s “Bit of a Hero” Act Captured on Camera

“A bit of a hero,” that was how Sarah Porch described a teacher who spent a few minutes of her free time to take extra care of her students.

Ms Porch snapped a photo of Lucy Forbes, a Grade 2 teacher at Wavell Heights State School, mending her students’ uniforms while the students were having a swimming lesson.

The teacher could have enjoyed some downtime or sipped coffee. Instead, the teacher stayed on and went the extra mile. Ms Porch thought that the act was unusual, but she was not surprised at what Ms. Forbes did since she’s very gentle and truly cares for her students.

She posted the photo on Instagram and Facebook to show appreciation for the small act of kindness by the teacher.

Ms Porch sees how easy it is for many to criticise teachers and educators, but she thinks that people need to highlight the good deeds and excellent work that they are doing.

Pets Enjoy Treats from Wavell Heights Café

 

At Beanbag Espresso in Wavell Heights, locals can get to enjoy their coffee and cupcake, with their furry friend tagging along. Pet dogs can even get a doggie biscuit baked just for them.

Beanbag Espresso is just one of the growing number of North Brisbane coffee places that are recognising the importance of providing space for dogs and their humans. They can basically jog around the community with their dog, then head over to the café for coffee or snack.

Many residents in the area are dog owners who love spending time with their pets, so it makes sense for coffee places to cater to their needs.

The café is famous among locals for its delectable and pretty cupcakes as well as the friendly vibe. There are seats just outside the establishment where pet owners and their dogs can stay.

You can find the café at 4/277 Rode Road Wavell Heights. Visit their Facebook page to find out more about their menu.

Get directions to Beanbag Espresso.