News & Events

Our College’s only carpark continues to be a matter requiring improvement to address access for cars at the two key times of each day (morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up). This is intensified as our College welcomes more families to our community in 2022.

As previously communicated to families, this matter is so significant that St Paul’s College remains in meaningful communication with local Council, and we are working towards a long-term solution within the next 18 months.

One short-term solution to ease traffic in our carpark has been staff parking on the College sports fields; this decision has reduced cars in the carpark to manage increased drop-off/pick-up that occurs at the start of the school year.

While we are grateful to staff for making this sacrifice, of course this is not a sustainable solution because it impedes on play spaces, damages playing fields and simply cannot occur as the weather changes (soft grounds after rain).

Prompted by these reasons, and knowing that the resurfacing of our Tennis-Courts will soon remove a crucial Primary Years play space until the end of Term 1, our staff will return to parking in the College carpark from Monday 28 February. This will significantly minimise the available carparking for families before and after school, and it will also challenge the function of the carpark as a ‘kiss and drop’ (drop-off and pick-up), for which it was never intended.

The following are the expectations of families/cars during the busiest morning and afternoon periods (drop-off and pick-up) periods:

• Use surrounding streets and areas to drop-off and pick-up, to avoid carpark (where possible/age-appropriate/safe).
• Avoid crossing Grand Junction Road to enter Blacks Road – use Sudholz Road to manage this.
• Enter carpark from Blacks Road, via Grand Junction Road (avoid crossing Blacks Road to enter carpark) – use Dally Road onto Lurline Road onto Grand Junction Road to manage this.
• Only stop to pick-up your child(ren) in the carpark when reaching the Callan Hall entrance – students will only be permitted to wait outside the Callan Hall entrance. No pick-up will occur at any other part of the carpark.
• Do not overtake in the carpark, not for any reason – it is one lane. Overtaking is a most significant risk for child safety.
• Giveaway to cars exiting a carpark (allow room for that car to reverse).

Our College has allocated a staff member to the carpark each afternoon (busiest period) to assist in managing these expectations; however, we know that calm, rational and understanding adults are the best way to fast-track everybody’s experience and above all, keep our young people safe.

The College carpark situation is imperfect and is being addressed, albeit not as quickly as the College would hope and despite best efforts. Our combined understanding and patience will assist most positive experiences for families at pick-up and drop-off times.

With any suggestions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact me: jfoulis@stpauls.sa.edu.au or by phone at the College

Josh Foulis
Deputy Principal