We, the parents, carers, grandparents, families and wider community of St Paul of the Cross Catholic Primary School, Dulwich Hill, respectfully call on Sydney Catholic Schools to prioritise the development of the vacant land adjacent to our school into a much-needed green open play space for our children.

For years, our school community has looked forward to this important project. The land sits vacant, wasted, and remains unused while our students continue to have limited access to green outdoor space for play, recreation, learning and connection.

St Paul of the Cross is a thriving and rapidly growing school. As enrolments continue to increase, the need for high-quality outdoor space becomes even more important. A green open play area is not simply an enhancement- it is an investment in the health, wellbeing and educational experience of every student, now and into the future.

Many families joined our school community with the understanding that this exciting project formed part of the school’s future vision. With progress appearing to have stalled, there is understandable concern that ongoing delays may influence future enrolments and diminish the experience of the students who are already part of our wonderful school community.

Research consistently shows that access to green spaces supports children’s physical health, mental wellbeing, social development and learning. Every child deserves room to run, explore, play and simply be a child.

St Paul of the Cross is also known for its close, welcoming and connected community. Expanding our green outdoor space would create more opportunities for school events, family gatherings, outdoor learning, celebrations and community activities, further strengthening the sense of belonging that makes our school so special.

We appreciate that Sydney Catholic Schools is responsible for balancing many capital works projects across the system and that every investment must be carefully considered. However, we believe this project represents an opportunity to deliver a lasting benefit to hundreds of current students and many generations to come.

Transforming this vacant land into an inviting green play space would:

• Provide much-needed outdoor play and recreation space for students
• Support student wellbeing, physical activity and positive mental health
• Accommodate the needs of our growing school community
• Create opportunities for outdoor learning and environmental education
• Strengthen community connection through a vibrant shared outdoor space
• Ensure valuable school land is used to its full potential for the benefit of children.

We respectfully ask Sydney Catholic Schools to restore this project as a priority within its capital works program and to provide our school community with a clear pathway and indicative timeframe for its delivery.

Our children are growing now. They deserve the space to learn, play and thrive now- not years into the future.

If you believe every child at St Paul of the Cross deserves access to quality green outdoor space, please add your name and help us demonstrate the strength of our community’s support.

**NO NEED TO DONATE AFTER SIGNATURE! Your signature support is all we need. Thank you.