Newington College has officially opened its Mid North Coast campus a new facility designed to embody sustainability and regenerative principles Located on a 200-hectare rural property in Eungai Creek the campus welcomed its first students and is set to host transformative social service immersion and outdoor education programs for Year 9 students The campus features 10 eight-person cabins with a total gross floor area of 1,600 square metres the project aligns with Newington College’s vision of reciprocity and sustainability AJC has integrated regenerative design principles to not only minimise environmental harm but actively contribute to climate solutions A standout feature of the campus is the use of carbon-positive materials such as compressed straw panels which are made from agricultural waste in Bendigo These panels sequester 27 kilograms of carbon dioxide per square metre meaning each cabin removes six tonnes of CO₂ from the atmosphere The design avoids carbon-intensive materials like concrete and aluminum opting for lightweight structures supported by removable footing systems that mimic tree roots Locally sourced materials further enhance sustainability including double-glazed windows made in South Kempsey The cabins exceed industry thermal performance standards through advanced insulation techniques that address air tightness and indoor air quality The buildings are arranged in an arc following site contours creating connections to natural features such as an ancient fig tree and views of Mount Yarrahapinni a culturally significant site for the Dunghutti Inspired by Australia’s rural architectural vernacular the structures incorporate gabled roofs and verandahs that blend seamlessly into the landscape The campus aims to provide students with a transformational experience through sustainable living during 8-10 week immersion programs Activities include community service projects learning traditional land management practices from First Nations knowledge holders Students are encouraged to develop self-reliance and teamwork while gaining new perspectives through outdoor education praised Newington College’s vision: “This project offers a significant contribution towards designing a carbon-positive future “AJC’s design embodies the College’s aims around sustainability “We are delighted to be part of this special project.” You must be logged in to post a comment Construction industry ready as Queensland hospital expansion review concludes Boroondara opens nominations for 2025 Urban Design Awards Construction industry leaders to take part in 2025 Vinnies CEO Sleepout New leadership team appointed to overhaul QLD’s construction regulator Engineers Australia calls for target of 60,000 additional engineering graduates by 2035 Willmott Dixon selected to lead construction of Northern Roots Visitor Centre in Oldham New York state launches US$16.6m road resurfacing initiative on Long Island Foster + Partners unveils design for luxury green community on Laheq Island Victoria Tower Adelaide celebrates topping out milestone Plus Architecture secures DA approval for landmark build-to-rent project in West Melbourne Why concrete carbon sequestration could revolutionise the construction industry Adoption of AI in construction remains low with widespread concerns CFMEU investigation uncovers bad behaviour in building industry Sector hones in on sustainable building elements to meet efficiency standards Concrete surface treatments still improving after decades of innovation A local school will finally receive the upgrades parents and students have long been “crying out for” Newington Public School is set for a major facelift as part of the NSW Government’s plan to ensure enrolment growth in the broader Sydney Olympic Park area is met The upgrade will see 10 new permanent classrooms and four special program rooms replace demountables currently being used for teaching at the school The removal of the demountables will also see approximately 2,000sqm of open play space be returned to students Announced by Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car on a recent visit Car said the school had been neglected by the former Liberal Government who “failed to act” as demountables took over the valuable space “I am excited to announce this upgrade that will future-proof Newington Public School and help teachers set up our students for academic success,” Car said “The Minns Labor Government is taking decisive action for the families in this growing area by delivering the upgrades to Newington Public School that students and parents have been crying out for.” The Newington public school upgrade will seek to complement the works currently underway at Wentworth Point Public School as well as the recently opened Wentworth Point High School The State Government said the upgrade will also relieve pressure on Newington until development on the Carter Street precinct can begin adding that they remain committed to delivering a new public school and preschool State Member for Parramatta Donna Davis welcomed the replacement of demountables with the new classrooms and special program rooms “After 12 years of neglect from the former Liberal National government we are returning close to 2,000 square metres of valuable open play space to students that has been long overdue,” she said “It was great to visit the school and hear the reaction to the news from the school captains and parents who were really pleased that these upgrades are on the way to support enrolment growth in the coming years.” The school upgrade is part of the budget’s $3.6 billion investment in new and upgraded schools across western Sydney Designs for the project are expected to be shared with the community as the project progresses with works scheduled for completion in 2027 Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards Following last year’s announcement that it would start a phased transition to co-education from 2026 Newington College has released a brand campaign to build excitement and drive awareness of the new choice families now have for co-education “There is so much that we are proud of at Newington and the fact that girls and boys can share a Newington education in the future is very exciting and consistent with the school’s commitment to having a diverse and inclusive learning culture This campaign is a way to bring this to life and to encourage girls and boys to be part of the school’s future starting with the junior school from 2026,” said Andy Quinane the striking new campaign features female and male students learning and playing together at various Newington campuses combined with a bold branded typographic device that inspires all the “New” possibilities to be discovered By having students stand in front of the second half of the word “Newington” to create the word “New,” the hero film encourages prospective students to imagine new goals It also draws on the colloquial way in which the school name is often affectionately abbreviated to “New” amongst the school community and students “Launching this campaign is a great way to showcase how a strong school in Sydney with rich traditions can continue to evolve to meet the needs of its students and community Doing it in a distinctive and relevant yet authentic way was critical to get the cut through in a competitive education market The campaign balances the proud traditions of the school with the exciting future ahead for current and future students,” said Justin Papps It shows that understanding others and making new connections helps create an inclusive and invigorating environment where all students can learn “It’s been a privilege to help Newington College move into this new era,” said Christian Finucane founder and creative partner at The Core Agency branded idea allows us to celebrate the diversity and inclusion of the school It shows parents there’s a new choice for their kids in co-ed” Andy Quinane – Acting Headmaster and Deputy Melissa Wilson – Director of Communications Ross Xenos – Chief Operating Officer Brigid Taylor – Director of Co-Education Marketing and Media Strategy: Sayers Group Justin Papps – Partner & Head of Sayers Customer & Brand Christian Finucane & Jon Skinner – Founders & Creative Partners Hugh Stewart – Director / Photographer Chris Grocott – Executive Producer – Owner Bill Doig – Partner – Executive Producer Inner West’s Newington College, a 161-year-old boys’ school, is bracing for two potential legal battles in 2025, as backlash grows over its decision, earlier this year, to admit girls from 2026 identified as “Student A,” has filed a case in the NSW Supreme Court alleging that the school’s governing council has breached its agreement under a 19th-century charitable trust deed The current student claims that the school’s shift to a co-ed model violates the trust’s original intent stating “youth” which supposedly focuses solely on “the education of boys and young men” According to court documents filed last Thursday the council allegedly misused trust funds to plan and implement the co-education transition The filing also seeks an interim order to prevent the council from using college property to fund its legal defence Student A’s anonymity is protected by a court order supported by a psychiatrist’s report that cite potential for Student A’s bullying and ostracism The report cited a college house mentor’s alleged comment about the police needing “pepper spray” for protesting parents as an example of the hostile environment “Participation as a known individual would cast Student A as an adversary and a threat a kind of ‘traitor’ to the school’s governing body and staff A spokesperson for the private school confidently defended their move to co-ed emphasizing it was made in the school’s best interest “The college is disappointed by the proposed legal proceedings. the decision benefits our students, staff, and community. We welcome the opportunity to resolving this matter expeditiously,” she said according to Sydney Morning Herald lawyers representing a group of parents announced plans for a potential class action in the Federal Court An open letter published Sunday accused the council of “misleading and deceptive conduct,” alleging undisclosed fee transfers to the Newington Foundation—an arm of the school that funds scholarships The letter also claimed that staff had assured parents the school would remain single-sex Parents expressed frustration in a statement published on the Save Newington website arguing that the court’s oversight was now necessary to ensure transparency Following their intended announcement to go co-ed the proposal was met with mixed reactions with parents protesting in staunch opposition to the college’s “woke agenda.” One of Sydney’s oldest boys’ schools is going co-ed, leaving some parents furious about what they call the “woke agenda” behind the move. #9News READ: https://t.co/lEk2MipvdR pic.twitter.com/aS5V96tkbj — 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) January 31, 2024 While others don’t seem to care for all the parent’s fuss and backward takes over admitting girls to the $40k-a-year school Took a minute to check out the petition some of the Newington College alumni weepers™️ made and ah yeah officer this guy right here pic.twitter.com/P4C13ch03a — Gabbi Bolt (@GabbiBolt) February 1, 2024 To these Newington College parents and friends women (who are the dominant gender group on the entire planet) are now “woke” … pic.twitter.com/FDUSDiDejb — MFW (@MFWitches) February 1, 2024 Police have identified the four people who were killed in a multi-vehicle crash in Newington on Saturday Firefighters said the crash happened on Willard Avenue at Greenlawn Avenue around 9 a.m According to police, three vehicles were involved in the crash and four people were pronounced dead. Police identified the four people who died as 17-year-old Gabriela Difo of Newington; and 56-year-old Maritza Smith Get top local Connecticut stories delivered to you every morning with the News Headlines newsletter The Newington Public Schools Superintendent said Difo was a Newington High School senior The district said Florinda Tineo was Difo's mom and Jeannette Tineo was Difo's aunt The school district said crisis support will be available on Monday to support staff and students who are impacted by the tragedy A fifth person involved in the crash suffered minor injuries Newington police are continuing to investigate and said they have not determined the exact cause of the crash but it does not appear as though the surviving victim of the crash was at fault.  Police said the vehicles involved were not stolen or being driven by anyone without the owner’s permission.  The Mid-State Accident Reconstruction Squad is continuing to investigate the crash Police expect the crash investigation to take several weeks or even months you're urged to call Officer Lambros at (860) 594-6229 We’re learning more about some of the victims in Saturday’s deadly in crash in Newington. That crash killing four people, three of them from the same family, which included a Newington high school student. always helping in everything,” Jose Balbuena Mary Church in New Britain are paying their respects at a makeshift memorial on Willard Avenue in Newington They’re mourning the loss of Newington High School senior Gabriela Difo All of them died in a car crash Saturday morning that left one other person dead They say the family often attended church services and were very active in their events “When it was the Day of the Virgin of Altagracia from the Dominican Republic Church members say the news of the crash was shocking and made for a very somber Easter service They say the church priest was particularly shaken “He was very sad and he still can’t believe it either because he said on Friday that at 10:30 at night and they came and said bye to him not knowing it was going to be the last time he was seeing them,” Balbuena said church members say they’ve noticed speeding cars You can see right now with the way they’re passing They’re not respecting the speed limit,” Balbuena said members say the priest is looking at ways to help the family “He’s thinking still right now what he’s going to do for them but I know that he’s going to do something for them Newington police say the fourth victim has not been identified and a fifth person only suffered minor injuries The Newington school superintendent along with local leaders have sent their condolences Anyone with information about this crash is being asked to contact Newington police by calling Officer Lambros at (860) 594-6229 Michael Parker criticises ‘deliberate negativity’ of a ‘very small group’ but does not refer directly to opponents of controversial plans to admit girls The headteacher of the elite Sydney school embroiled in a row over becoming coeducational has written to parents and alumni expressing disappointment with a group of people within the school’s community “whose behaviour is inconsistent with our school culture and our values” “It disappoints me that there is a very small group of people within our community whose behaviour is inconsistent with our school culture and our values and is casting a temporary shadow over what is a highly inclusive Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup “It has undeniably impacted the broader community’s understanding of who we are and what we stand for. “Some of the behaviours, alongside a campaign of deliberate negativity, of a few individuals over recent months are in breach of our values, our culture and our agreed parent code of conduct.” Read moreParker added that some behaviour had left “some parents and staff feeling threatened and very uncomfortable” “For those very few who believe they can continue their campaign of targeted negativity The email does not specify what incident or group of people it is referring to, however, last week the Guardian revealed that an email had been sent by Dallas Morgan the Sydney barrister leading the fight against the private school’s move to coeducation in which he said he would fly to Tonga to lobby King Tupou VI on the issue also lamented that “transgender midgets” could have their fees subsidised by “hardworking normal people” and said he hoped the Tongan king – whose father was also a fellow former student of the school – would oppose the coed transition He called the push for the school to become coed “woke mumbo jumbo” The Newington College council announced late last year that the school would begin the transition to becoming coeducational starting with the introduction of girls into kindergarten and year 5 in 2026 with the college fully coeducational by 2033 The decision prompted furious opposition from some parents and alumni who leads a group of alumni called Save Newington said he immediately contacted the school after receiving the headteacher’s email on Monday to get clarification about what it referred to and has not received a reply though he said it “seems likely” it “refers to the continuing controversy about the coed move” Lake said he had “never had any contact with the Save Newington group He said that while he was not opposed to the move to coeducation at the school he had some concerns about the practical issues of such a decision and “the decision-making process of the college council between the original consultation and the public announcement” Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Inner west boys’ school Newington College is set to go into 2025 facing the possibility of two legal battles over its controversial plans to admit girls to the 161-year-old institution A current student has launched action in the NSW Supreme Court alleging that the school’s governing council contravened the terms of the school’s 19th-century charitable trust by implementing its plan to admit girls from 2026 A student claims the school council has breached its duties under the terms of its charitable trust by planning to admit girls A statement of claim filed last Thursday says members of the school council had breached their duties of an original deed of indenture by considering It says the word “youth” used in the original 1873 trust is limited to the education and advancement of boys and young men and that the school’s governing council “breached the Trust Purpose by paying applying and/or setting aside trust funds held subject to the Trust Purpose on in connection with [...] implementing its decision to transition Newington College into a co-educational school.” The boy – known as student A – cannot be identified after the court issued a non-disclosure order and a psychiatrist’s report said he faced being bullied and shunned if his identity was to become known Graduates and parents of current Newington College students earlier this year protesting against the move to co-ed.Credit: Kate Geraghty “The alleged comment by a college house mentor that it’s a shame the police didn’t have pepper spray (for the parents protesting outside the school) within hearing of students which if deemed credible illustrates this risk,” the report said The statement of claim also sought an interim order that the Newington Council would not use college property to fund its legal defence to the proceedings The school first unveiled its plan to admit girls in November 2023 and has faced a fierce backlash ever since A school spokeswoman said the college and its councillors were confident that their decision was in the best interests of the school “The college is disappointed by the proposed legal proceedings,” she said “The college will respond to the legal proceedings and welcomes the opportunity for this matter to be heard expeditiously so that it does not distract the school from the work it undertakes to benefit our students The possibility of a second legal action emerged on Sunday after lawyers acting for the parents of boys enrolled at Newington published an open letter noting examples of what it called “misleading and deceptive conduct” It says it is in the process of obtaining instructions regarding a class action to be commenced in the Federal Court of Australia The letter alleged parents’ fees collected by the council had been transferred to the Newington Foundation – the major fundraising arm of the college that provides means-tested scholarships The letter said the transfer had not been disclosed to parents in enrolment information and meant parents “would be subsidising the education of others” “We are further instructed that representations were also made to parents [by certain members of staff in leadership roles] that the college would not become co-educational with those representations having been made prior to the announcement made by the chair of the council on 20 November 2023.” An email from the Newington Tradition Supporters Fund and published on the Save Newington website on Sunday said: “To be very clear having to commence legal proceedings against the college and individual councillors is not our doing It is unfortunate that the only way that transparency is attained is by having the court’s supervisory jurisdiction for trusts look into the council’s conduct and hold them responsible.” Inner west boys\\u2019 school Newington College is set to go into 2025 facing the possibility of two legal battles over its controversial plans to admit girls to the 161-year-old institution A current student has launched action in the NSW Supreme Court alleging that the school\\u2019s governing council contravened the terms of the school\\u2019s 19th-century charitable trust by implementing its plan to admit girls from 2026 It says the word \\u201Cyouth\\u201D used in the original 1873 trust is limited to the education and advancement of boys and young men and that the school\\u2019s governing council \\u201Cbreached the Trust Purpose by paying applying and/or setting aside trust funds held subject to the Trust Purpose on in connection with [...] implementing its decision to transition Newington College into a co-educational school.\\u201D The boy \\u2013 known as student A \\u2013 cannot be identified after the court issued a non-disclosure order and a psychiatrist\\u2019s report said he faced being bullied and shunned if his identity was to become known \\u201CThe alleged comment by a college house mentor that it\\u2019s a shame the police didn\\u2019t have pepper spray (for the parents protesting outside the school) within hearing of students which if deemed credible illustrates this risk,\\u201D the report said \\u201CParticipation as a known individual would cast Student A as an adversary and a threat a kind of \\u2018traitor\\u2019 to the school\\u2019s governing body and staff and by extension to the school itself.\\u201D The school and has faced a fierce backlash ever since \\u201CThe college is disappointed by the proposed legal proceedings,\\u201D she said \\u201CThe college will respond to the legal proceedings The possibility of a second legal action emerged on Sunday after lawyers acting for the parents of boys enrolled at Newington published an open letter noting examples of what it called \\u201Cmisleading and deceptive conduct\\u201D The letter alleged parents\\u2019 fees collected by the council had been transferred to the Newington Foundation \\u2013 the major fundraising arm of the college that provides means-tested scholarships The letter said the transfer had not been disclosed to parents in enrolment information and meant parents \\u201Cwould be subsidising the education of others\\u201D \\u201CWe are further instructed that representations were also made to parents [by certain members of staff in leadership roles] that the college would not become co-educational with those representations having been made prior to the announcement made by the chair of the council on 20 November 2023.\\u201D and published on the Save Newington website on Sunday said: \\u201CTo be very clear It is unfortunate that the only way that transparency is attained is by having the court\\u2019s supervisory jurisdiction for trusts look into the council\\u2019s conduct and hold them responsible.\\u201D Battle lines have been drawn among 'old boy' faction groups at Sydney’s prestigious Newington College after anti-co educational campaigners lost their fight against a move to introduce girls at the private school An anti-coed group of ‘old boy’ alumni from Sydney’s Newington College have failed in their bid to stop the introduction of girls at the elite all boys school about 100 Old Newingtonians’ Union (ONU) members heard their newly-elected president Ed Miller had won the council vote to embrace co-education ending a tumultuous months-long gender rift with faction group Save Newington College (SNC) Mr Miller claimed the council victory over anti-coeducation campaigners SNC governed by presidential nominee John Venetoulis Alumni elected all 15 ONU members and rejected the 15 SNC candidates in the $42,000-per-annum elite Sydney high school community SNC is set to launch legal action against the college council that made the co-educational call The factional group’s spokesperson Ian Webster on Wednesday evening put the council win down to unfair clerical support from the school “The Your ONU group had secretarial support from the college to a degree not afforded to the entirely volunteer SNC group,” Mr Webster said “This resulted in various impediments to a ’clean’ voting procedure for those supporting the SNC group,” he said the required vote was meant to occur within four weeks of the last Special General meeting when the previous ONU Council was voted out He said the opposing party’s victory was not without a vast amount of dissatisfaction about the school’s governance among age groups and the SNC would not go down without a fight “The vote showed that widespread dissatisfaction about the school’s direction exists across all generations from recent graduates to parents and grandparents of current teenage students “More than 45.5 per cent of Newington alumni voted for change and greater scrutiny of the College Council “We will continue to advocate strongly for a fairer system that protects the right of boys and girls to have equal education choice.” Your ONU has rebutted SNC and said: “Regardless of your views on co-ed: we are better than this” Speaking to The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday evening 2008 graduate Mr Miller said the SNC was a minority group which opposed the sentiment of school members “The question (of this election) wasn’t about co-ed or not co-ed it was about a small group of people acting … hostile to the school community,” he said “People who are against co-ed voted for me … Everyone said ‘let’s draw a line under this’.” Mr Miller campaigned for the role of president and criticised SNC on social media platform LinkedIn in the lead up to the vote “We need to put a stop to the personal hostility and bad faith white-anting that has disrupted this community for too long,” he wrote on Tuesday evening He said Newington “wasn’t cliquey or exclusive” but that SNC used “*their* voices (to) (be) heard above others” which forced some parents to “withdraw from dialogue altogether” “Newington doesn’t belong to the 950 people on SNC’s mailing list It doesn’t belong to the 700 people who voted for them at the SGM,” he said “Newington belongs to all of us.” The future of historic private boys’ school Newington College and its plans to begin admitting girls from next year is set to hinge on a legal interpretation of a 152-year-old trust deed Historians and a lexicologist will be among experts called on in a legal dispute over whether the school’s council contravened its 1873 trust by planning and implementing a move to co-education Newington’s lawyers appeared at a directions hearing on Friday just over a month after a fresh challenge was launched in the NSW Supreme Court by a current student who is suing the school over the co-ed decision The historic Newington College in Stanmore is set to go co-ed from 2026.Credit: Louie Douvis The 162-year-old inner-west boys’ school has faced 14 months of intense backlash over its decision to admit girls in the junior school from 2026 and become a fully co-educational campus by 2033 The school first announced the move to parents in late 2023 a current Newington student launched proceedings alleging that the school’s council breached the terms of the college’s charitable trust and an October 23 by considering – and implementing – the move to co-ed The statement of claim says the word “youth” used in the original trust is limited to the education and advancement of boys and young men and that the college council breached the trust by using its funds to “implement its decision to transition … into a coeducational school” lawyers representing the school said it would seek expert advice from historical experts on the matter while the plaintiff’s lawyer said it would be seeking opinions from an expert in lexicology The boy who launched proceedings – known as student A – cannot be identified after he obtained a non-publication order based upon a psychiatrist’s report that said he faced being bullied and shunned if his identity was to become known Parents at the school are also considering commencing a separate class action in the Federal Court in relation to alleged “misleading and deceptive conduct” by Newington’s council Despite the prospect of multiple legal challenges – and months of bitter public feuding between alumni over the move – the school is forging ahead with $110 million in major building upgrades ahead of the co-ed transition Plans released on the NSW major planning portal show the school is proposing a new four-storey teaching and learning building upgrades to its Centenary Hall and a new performing arts theatre “This proposal will also allow an increase in its students and staff commensurate with Newington’s transition to a fully co-educational school by 2033,” a scoping report by Urbis said “The consequences of not carrying out the proposed alterations and additions at Newington College would result in the school not being able to best support the continuation of its current value proposition and sustain its future co-educational vision.” The college, which charges $45,000 a year is one of multiple high-fee Sydney schools planning major infrastructure upgrades in the next decade said he hoped legal representatives from all parties could determine how the legal case can proceed quickly and efficiently our representatives have approached the court separately asking the court to provide advice that the college is justified in defending these proceedings insofar as they relate to the differing views of the meaning of the term youth in the 1873 deed of indenture,” Xenos said “We again affirm that the college’s principal focus in 2025 is and will be our students and they continue to have the full attention of our educational leadership and teaching staff.” The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here. The future of historic private boys\\u2019 school Newington College, and its plans to begin admitting girls from next year, is set to hinge on a legal interpretation of a 152-year-old trust deed. Historians and a lexicologist will be among experts called on in a legal dispute over whether the school\\u2019s council contravened its 1873 trust by planning and implementing a move to co-education. Newington\\u2019s lawyers appeared at a directions hearing on Friday, just over a month after a fresh challenge was launched in the NSW Supreme Court by a current student who is suing the school over the co-ed decision. The 162-year-old inner-west boys\\u2019 school has faced 14 months of intense backlash over its decision to and become a fully co-educational campus by 2033. The school first announced the move to parents in late 2023. Just before Christmas, a current Newington student launched proceedings alleging that the school\\u2019s council breached the terms of the college\\u2019s charitable trust and an October 23, 1873 original deed of indenture, by considering \\u2013 and implementing \\u2013 the move to co-ed. The statement of claim says the word \\u201Cyouth\\u201D used in the original trust is limited to the education and advancement of boys and young men, and that the college council breached the trust by using its funds to \\u201Cimplement its decision to transition \\u2026 into a coeducational school\\u201D. In the directions hearing on Friday, before Justice Guy Parker, lawyers representing the school said it would seek expert advice from historical experts on the matter, while the plaintiff\\u2019s lawyer said it would be seeking opinions from an expert in lexicology, someone who writes dictionaries. The boy who launched proceedings \\u2013 known as student A \\u2013 cannot be identified after he obtained a non-publication order based upon a psychiatrist\\u2019s report that said he faced being bullied and shunned if his identity was to become known. Parents at the school are also considering commencing a separate class action in the Federal Court in relation to alleged \\u201Cmisleading and deceptive conduct\\u201D by Newington\\u2019s council. Despite the prospect of multiple legal challenges \\u2013 and months of bitter public feuding between alumni over the move \\u2013 the school is forging ahead with $110 million in major building upgrades ahead of the co-ed transition. Plans released on the NSW major planning portal show the school is proposing a new four-storey teaching and learning building, upgrades to its Centenary Hall and a new performing arts theatre, multipurpose gallery, sports courts and basement parking. \\u201CThis proposal will also allow an increase in its students and staff, commensurate with Newington\\u2019s transition to a fully co-educational school by 2033,\\u201D a scoping report by Urbis said. \\u201CThe consequences of not carrying out the proposed alterations and additions at Newington College would result in the school not being able to best support the continuation of its current value proposition and sustain its future co-educational vision.\\u201D The college, which charges $45,000 a year is one of . In a letter to parents last week, Newington\\u2019s chief operating officer, Ross Xenos, said he hoped legal representatives from all parties could determine how the legal case can proceed quickly and efficiently. \\u201CIn addition to these proceedings, our representatives have approached the court separately asking the court to provide advice that the college is justified in defending these proceedings insofar as they relate to the differing views of the meaning of the term youth in the 1873 deed of indenture,\\u201D Xenos said. \\u201CWe again affirm that the college\\u2019s principal focus in 2025 is and will be our students, and they continue to have the full attention of our educational leadership and teaching staff.\\u201D The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. . Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInNEWINGTON, CT. (WFSB) - Newington High School was forced to evacuate after a laptop caught fire Thursday morning. Officials say that it happened at around 11:15 a.m. The fire was contained and eventually taken under control. The students were kept outside for 25 minutes while the fire department made sure that the area was safe. The fire marshal’s office and school administration are investigating. Newington College chairman clocks up 17 years (and counting)This whole thing is far from over SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy link Share via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe There is, it’s been said nothing so compelling as private school politics If that’s what you could call the cataclysm still engulfing Sydney’s Newington College the College Council embarked on a controversial plan to soon enrol girls Much of the school community is now in open revolt Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. Read MoreRear WindowPrivate schoolsLatest In PeopleFetching latest articles Exclusive: Dallas Morgan sends impassioned email to old boys updating them on ‘embarrassing saga’ and telling them to ‘never give up’ A Sydney barrister and Newington College old boy leading the fight against the private school’s coed shift has sent an impassioned email to alumni, detailing his plans to fly to Tonga this week to lobby King Tupou VI on the issue. In his email, Dallas Morgan also lamented that “transgender midgets” could have their fees subsidised and said he hoped the king – whose father was also a fellow former student of the school – would oppose the coed transition. In November the Newington College council announced the school would begin the transition to becoming coeducational, starting with the introduction of girls into kindergarten and year 5 in 2026, and years 7 and 11 in 2028, with the college fully coeducational by 2033. The school charges up to $42,000 a year. Read moreThe decision prompted furious opposition from some parents and alumni who wrote to a select group of alumni on Wednesday “to update the embarrassing saga of old boys wanting a voice against the evil empire of woke mumbo jumbo” In the email, seen by Guardian Australia, Morgan wrote: “I am flying to Tonga on Saturday but I am working on meeting with the King of Tonga to explain we are fighting for a tradition in which they are important.” Newington’s brother school, Tupou College, is in Tonga “It’s hard to keep fighting but myself and a lot of people on this link have worked very hard to fight against the bullshit that is destroying a school we love,” Morgan wrote King Tupou VI of Tonga addresses the United Nations general assembly in 2019 Morgan also encourages the recipients to “never give up” and to oppose the school’s “strategic direction” “We will need to show like at the SGM the silent majority disagree with the ‘Strategic Direction’ aka ‘transgender midgets get free schooling paid for by hard working normal people’ Morgan is a representative of the Save Newington Group and has spoken publicly against the school’s decision to begin admitting girls He was also among a group of parents and alumni who rallied outside the school in Stanmore in Sydney’s inner-west in January Guardian Australia sent detailed questions to Morgan and called his chambers but did not receive a response Two people who received Morgan’s email said he had recalled it on Thursday afternoon after he was contacted by Guardian Australia Morgan’s mention of “the SGM” appears to be a reference to the special general meeting that the school’s alumni network Nearly 800 former students attended the SGM and opponents of the coed move successfully passed all five resolutions put to the meeting including votes of no confidence in the headteacher and spilling the leadership of the ONU’s council the Save Newington College group said a “caretaker” ONU council The caretaker council would facilitate an ONU council election “in approximately 4 weeks’ time” There has been a subsequent dispute among alumni over whether the council representatives should self-nominate to fill the vacancies or whether they should be chosen through a more formal election A directions hearing in the matter was held on Monday. In the email he sent on Wednesday, Morgan said the case would be deferred “until a proper election is held”. Sign up to Afternoon Update: Election 2025 Free daily newsletterOur Australian afternoon update breaks down the key election campaign stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it matters The ONU leadership council is separate from the Newington’s College council, which was responsible for the decision to make the school coed. Seven alumni are on the college council, according to the school’s website. The ONU has the right to appoint six members of the college council. A Newington alumnus, Kerry Trollope, told Guardian Australia he was “vehemently opposed” to the school becoming coed. “We are not against coed. We love coed. But we don’t want it at Newington,” he said. “We’re part of a group that is fighting really hard to try to reverse the decision … in my heart of hearts I think it’s not going to work, but I’ll fight tooth and nail to the end.” Trollope described Morgan as “dedicated and a lovely man” who was “frustrated”. He suggested he shouldn’t be judged for having made “possibly maybe one little mistake” in the email he sent on Wednesday. Stephen Lake, another Newington old boy, said he and the people he knew had voted for the resolutions at the ONU meeting in March because they were concerned about the way the college council had gone about the coed decision. Read moreLake said he had no issue with Newington’s headteacher but the school needed to be more transparent. The old boy Peter Thomas said coed and single-sex schools were “both great” but the Newington business model “works very well”. “I think it’s madness to change it,” he said. “If you walked into a McDonald’s hamburger restaurant and they started serving you seafood, you’d be very confused if you were a customer.” Others have spoken in support of the shift. Tim Richter, a former student whose son is enrolled in the school, told Guardian Australia in March he was pleased his son would have the opportunity to learn alongside girls, something he said he thought would have “really benefited” him and his classmates. access content via the FT Edit page on FT.com and receive the FT Edit newsletter Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times Transformed from an ammunition depot into accommodation for Olympians before becoming a desirable residential neighbourhood Newington is the textbook example for an athlete’s village done right The compact western Sydney suburb was built from the ground up for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games to house more than 15,000 athletes from across the globe adjacent to Sydney Olympic Park More than 1500 families now call the leafy suburb home with its tree-lined streets — most of which are named after famous athletes — featuring a combination of freestanding and semi-detached houses and apartments there’s strong demand to buy into the tightly-held pocket where fewer than 10 properties typically come up for sale each month Newington’s median unit price is $800,000, which has remained relatively steady over the past few years, but a typical house there sells for about $1.84 million, according to PropTrack which ranged between $250,000 and $500,000 at the time of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games House prices in the suburb have jumped by about 15% over the past year — more than twice as fast as Sydney’s market overall — with demand from families trying to buy into the neighbourhood outweighing the supply of houses available The suburb’s rise to become an aspirational neighbourhood is a far cry from some of the athlete’s villages from previous Olympic Games that were criticised for major shortcomings including leaking roofs Newington features extensive tree cover as a result of considered native landscaping during construction of the suburb more than two decades ago Many other athletes' villages from previous games were built as high-rise apartment towers and eventually transitioned to residential while others were repurposed into student accommodation and in one case But Newington stands apart for its clever design not only setting the benchmark for Olympic infrastructure but also for master planned communities Australia-wide Newington was developed in three stages by a joint venture between Mirvac and Lendlease starting with the northern precinct where the first residents moved in before the games began national planning and delivery Toby Long said establishing the community early on was critical in the suburb’s success The central section of Newington was built as the athlete's village with homes sold off the plan to the public and leased back for accomodation during the games “It was an intention to create the community upfront,” he said “We had people living there before the games which actually really gave it its soul from the beginning.” with flexible homes designed with their eventual use in mind a typical four-bedroom Newington home housed up to two dozen athletes in a modified floorplan “We took a four-bedroom house that would have a family of a maximum of six at the end and we had 24 athletes living in that house,” Mr Long said “The way we were able to do that is we didn’t put the kitchens in and we dropped demountables into the backyards to really boost up the dormitory atmosphere.” “We made the village viable because we sold that part upfront,” he said “People could actually buy houses and apartments within the athletes' part of the village which we leased back from them during the Olympic games.” The new suburb sparsely vegetated at the time of the Olympics but streets now feature a lush canopy of mature eucalypts Apartments were built in a similar fashion of two or three interconnected units to maximise capacity while the southern precinct featured largely demountable accommodation existing houses were retrofitted as three or four-bedroom homes and handed over to their eventual owners Transportable homes were sold to caravan parks around the country and the southern precinct was then developed utilising the newly built roads and infrastructure Demountable homes in the southern section of Newington were relocated after the games to make way for more housing for new residents Newington Village Real Estate principal Matthew Hamilton who was originally involved in marketing newly built properties in the suburb said the suburb’s lasting legacy as a great place to live came from the design thinking that went into the project “Newington won more awards than any development in Australia’s history,” he said “The consortium ran an architecture design competition for young architects to put their ideas forward those architects who won were included in the bid,” he said “Their mindset was ‘let's really do a great job and use all of our experience to do it Homes in Newington had impressive green credentials for their time with all freestanding houses including solar power passive design and grey water recycling – features that have now become standard among new homes but were groundbreaking at the turn of the century Mr Long said this was critical given the Sydney Olympics’ commitment to environmental sustainability earning it the unofficial title of the “green games” Homes in Newington incorporate passive design with homes oriented to maximise solar access “At the time it was the largest solar suburb in the world,” he said “We had photovoltaic cells on the top of every house we built and we continued that after the Olympics.” “The orientation and form of the houses was very much about getting solar access into the right living areas.” “We spent a lot of time making sure the landscaping was right The suburb also boasts enviable access to green spaces with cycling and walking tracks lining adjacent Haslams Creek and the remaining portion of the old Newington Armory to the north converted to parklands with retained heritage buildings open for exploration Nearby Bicentennial Park features an array of playgrounds as well as pathways snaking through wetlands while the Parramatta River is within easy reach Newington is positioned a short walk from the sporting and entertainment precinct at Sydney Olympic Park which initially served as an athlete’s arrivals and administrative area before being converted into a shopping centre Larger shopping centres at Parramatta and Rhodes are both within a 15-minute drive the M4 motorway can get drivers to Sydney CBD in 25 minutes on a good day and while Newington itself doesn’t have a train station Lidcombe and Sydney Olympic Park stations are within reach thanks to bus routes that also provide access to ferries The area is expected to get a further boost in the coming years from the Sydney Metro West with a station to be built within the Olympic precinct which is slated to travel down nearby Holker Street Despite prices rising rapidly recently, real estate agent Jacob Saleh of Horwood Nolan said families upgrading to a house in Newington were often surprised at the relative value for money compared to surrounding suburbs like North Strathfield or Concord West “It's a safe option for a lot of families looking to grow and stay local to the area,” he said “They might be looking for an entry level house in a market that's a little bit higher value but can't seem to get their foot in the door Or they'll be looking at townhouses or strata.” “They can go to Newington and get a freestanding house for a similar price Pierre De Coubertin Park serves as a central green space between Newington's northern and central precincts Mr Hamilton said value for money is one of the key reasons that Newington continues to appeal to family buyers decades later “Most buyers were originally families with kids under 11 “The demographics have changed a little bit and the income there is a lot higher than it was 25 years ago.” “The apartments seem to attract people with disabilities too because we have quite a number of properties that are disabled adaptable.” “We also get a lot of retirees downsizers who have had big houses and want something a little bit more convenient for a good price.” About half of the properties in Newington are apartments mostly located on the suburb's eastern edge and near Newington Marketplace proximity to the sporting facilities at Sydney Olympic Park means plenty of athletes call the suburb home today some of whom may go on to become Australia’s Olympians of tomorrow “We get a lot of sports people or people involved in sports marketing buying because of the NSW Institute of Sport and all the local facilities," he said Mr Long said one of Newington’s lasting legacies has been its impact on residential development Australia-wide “It became a benchmark of good urban design,” he said “It was the beginning of an evolution of new housing stock and now you can actually see elements of what we did at Newington across almost every master planned community “It’s one of those projects where we thought ‘wow third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. the decision to admit girls has triggered plenty of apocalyptic thundering: the school’s council chair Tony McDonald has become a lightning rod for the outrage of a certain type of deeply triggered Old Boy But we think it’s a little unfair to accuse McDonald Newington College is in the middle of a co-ed fight.Credit: Steven Siewert of the four ASX-listed company boards McDonald has graced Snowball Group and 8IP Emerging Companies Ltd – were entirely male according to their most recent annual reports McDonald seems to have learned a few things about running listed companies he proudly told the college’s magazine that he ran the council just like an ASX board “We follow an ASX public company equivalent skills and people diversity matrix,” he said who has been on the college council for 17 years might therefore be aware that the ASX is a little sceptical of tenures as long as his own In its most recent corporate governance council guidance principles the ASX says a board should regularly assess whether any director with over 10 years of service was too close to management following the royal commission into institutional response to child sexual abuse Pymble Ladies College and Knox adopted new constitutions which limited a council member’s tenure to three successive terms is still governed by an Act of NSW Parliament (from 1922) Newington is clearly reeling from all the bitterness about going co-ed because the response to our thorny questions about governance and succession planning was quite defensive “We can tell by the content of your questions that this is part of a campaign by a small group whose intention is to destabilise the college because of the decision by college council to move to co-education,” a college spokesperson told CBD which have been purely designed to generate negative publicity this is a deliberate twisting of the facts.” Now CBD reckons any move that drags a joint like Newington into the 21st century is a good one you may need to follow 21st-century corporate governance standards even Young Liberals grow up and get a real job former NSW Liberal staffer and more importantly that means leaving the sordid world of party politics behind and opening up a bar-cum-nightclub described to this column as both a Young Liberal about town and a regular of the Hemmes-sphere has taken over the old Bridge Lane Bar across the road from Merivale’s cantonese fine-diner Mr Wong in Sydney’s CBD The bar’s opening is a bit of a redemption arc for Hughes who in 2017 was dumped as a staffer by then NSW planning minister Anthony Roberts after then-premier Gladys Berejiklian wanted him to lose a few staff And while Harry comes from true blue Liberal Party royalty (outside the obvious Turnbull connection his grandfather Tom Hughes is a former attorney-general and his dad Michael Hughes briefly ran the party’s finances) we hear there was nary a Macquarie St spiv in sight on Friday night Red faces at another newspaper group on Monday morning after several news sites including The Daily Telegraph and the Herald Sun fed the insatiable reader interest in all things Donald Trump by posting a video titled “Donald Trump back on golf course after shooting” was shot through a rainy window and showed Trump wearing a MAGA cap and walking over to a golf buggy before climbing onboard and driving away the presidential candidate was heading for Milwaukee to attend the Republican National Convention one day after he was shot at during a campaign rally in Butler the decision to admit girls has triggered plenty of apocalyptic thundering: the school\\u2019s council chair Tony McDonald has become a lightning rod for the outrage of a certain type of deeply triggered Old Boy But we think it\\u2019s a little unfair to accuse McDonald Snowball Group and 8IP Emerging Companies Ltd \\u2013 were entirely male he proudly told the college\\u2019s magazine that he ran the council just like an ASX board \\u201CWe follow an ASX public company equivalent skills and people diversity matrix,\\u201D he said Newington\\u2019s fellow Uniting Church schools limited a council member\\u2019s tenure to three successive terms \\u201CWe can tell by the content of your questions that this is part of a campaign by a small group whose intention is to destabilise the college because of the decision by college council to move to co-education,\\u201D a college spokesperson told CBD \\u201CAs with all their other accusations this is a deliberate twisting of the facts.\\u201D has taken over the old Bridge Lane Bar across the road from Merivale\\u2019s cantonese fine-diner Mr Wong in Sydney\\u2019s CBD The bar\\u2019s opening is a bit of a redemption arc for Hughes his grandfather Tom Hughes is a former attorney-general and his dad Michael Hughes briefly ran the party\\u2019s finances) Red faces at another newspaper group on Monday morning after several news sites including The Daily Telegraph and the Herald Sun fed the insatiable reader interest in all things Donald Trump by posting a video titled \\u201CDonald Trump back on golf course after shooting\\u201D Please whitelist confidentials.com to continue to our site and enjoy an Ad-Light experience Newington Temple pub has now opened following a renovation to restore the 19th century pub back to its Victorian glory.  Also discovered in storage in the upper rooms were items over a century old which have now been incorporated into the decor of the rooms Director of Ma Pub Group Iain Hoskins looked into the history of the building and discovered its origins as a vaudeville performance space that once hosted the debut UK performance of famous circus performer Tom Thumb in 1844 Tom Thumb was booked for a week-long engagement in February 1844 at No 8 Newington where he performed in costumes such as Napoleon and the Greek Gods for the price of 6p entrance fee.  Director of Ma Pub Group said: "It's been a labour of love over the past couple of months as the building was in quite a bad way Like with domestic renovations of period buildings 8 Newington threw up a number of unforeseen surprises and challenges along the way It reminds me of the work we did with Ma Boyle’s and before that Ma Egerton's here in the city both of which had reached the end of the road and the future for them looked bleak prior to the work we did with restoring them and giving them a fresh purpose.  I'm very pleased with what we've achieved; the place is stunning we've done justice to its rich history and preserved the pub and the building for future generations to enjoy it’s been illuminating understanding what used to go on here The pub in its various name changes across the decades has outlived every other business on Bold Street over the last two centuries so it’s great to see her properly back in business.” The Newington Temple pub is open until 11pm from Sunday to Thursday and until 1am on Friday and Saturday For more information follow Newington Temple on instagram or visit the Ma Pub Group website Get the latest food & drink news and exclusive offers by email by signing up to our mailing list This is one of the ways that Confidentials remains free to our readers and by signing up you help support our high quality Entertainment venue from El Gato Negro follows successes in Leeds and Manchester Which restaurants have our readers been visiting in March Looking for a little lift through your letterbox The Commanderie de Bordeaux à Liverpool received its Charter from Le Grand Conseil de Vins.. A breakaway group opposed to Newington College enrolling girls has deservedly been thwarted in its bid to gain control of the influential old boys’ council executive and the school remains on track to go coeducational from 2026 The result of an online vote to elect a new president and council of the Old Newingtonians’ Union saw the group fail to win any representation in a field of nominees divided between the anti-coeducation camp and a “unity” ticket of candidates who would not fight the college’s decision Newington College is due to become co-ed by 2033.Credit: Kate Geraghty As the Herald’s education editor Lucy Carroll reports activist who campaigned on “lowering the temperature” on the co-ed debate emerged victorious in the presidential ballot by a margin of some 12 per cent His “Your ONU” running mates won every other position including the treasurer and 10 councillor posts threats of legal action by Save Newington College and a special general meeting that resulted in a resolution spilling the leadership of the old boys group a 200-year-old all-boys institution in Sydney’s CBD Australia is one of the few nations that is still having arguments over single-sex schools even though it is a system that evolved in a world with little resemblance to modern life Many NSW single-sex schools were established when girls were not expected to pursue careers but those days have long gone and many are now not only exemplars of achievement but have quietly gone their own way and decided on coeducation without the attention paid to boys’ schools wrestling with the issue Just as it is not defensible to segregate students because of socioeconomic status it is harder to argue that segregation based on sex or gender is acceptable not least because research shows single-sex classrooms risk inflating stereotyping and sexist attitudes And with so many private schools evolving into massive big businesses going co-ed would open an entire new market to Newington heartened by its 40 per cent vote in the presidential election the Save Newington College group is still considering legal action It seems unaware the embarrassing failure to win representation on the alumni board confirms its rebellion is over Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge, champion and inform your own. Sign up for our Opinion newsletter A breakaway group opposed to Newington College enrolling girls has deservedly been thwarted in its bid to gain control of the influential old boys\\u2019 council executive and the school remains on track to go coeducational from 2026 The result of an online vote to elect a new president and council of the Old Newingtonians\\u2019 Union saw the group fail to win any representation in a field of nominees divided between the anti-coeducation camp and a \\u201Cunity\\u201D ticket of candidates who would not fight the college\\u2019s decision As the Herald\\u2019s education editor Lucy Carroll reports activist who campaigned on \\u201Clowering the temperature\\u201D on the co-ed debate His \\u201CYour ONU\\u201D running mates won every other position Newington announced last year it would from 2026 Female students would join the senior school two years later The move sparked a fierce backlash from some parents and alumni who spent months lobbying the private school to have the decision reversed there are increasing signs that the tide is going out on single-sex education Newington joins a growing list of private schools that are either considering going co-ed or have already done so four Sydney Catholic schools in the inner west a 200-year-old all-boys institution in Sydney\\u2019s CBD Many NSW single-sex schools were established when girls were not expected to pursue careers but those days have long gone and many are now not only exemplars of achievement but have quietly gone their own way and decided on coeducation without the attention paid to boys\\u2019 schools wrestling with the issue Get a weekly wrap of views that will challenge Clean up is underway after a fuel spill at a gas station on the Berlin Turnpike in Newington on Tuesday Firefighters said a fuel tanker was making a delivery to the Citgo gas station when 500 to 1,000 gallons of fuel was estimated to have spilled during the offload process The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection was requested to the scene and assessed the areas of concerns Clean up crews are now working to mitigate the spill The Berlin Turnpike was briefly closed near Kitts Lane on Tuesday morning and has since reopened The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n \n \n \n '.concat(e,' Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response Newington completed their great escape with a 4-2 triumph against Ballyclare Comrades at Dixon Park to condemn the east Antrim side to the promotion/relegation play-off spot, a double from Jay Donnelly – on loan from Glentoran – doing the damage. The Comrades will face either Dollingstown, Rathfriland Rangers or Queen’s University on May 6 and 9 for a place in the Championship next season. Newry City – who exited the top flight at the end of last season – are relegated and completed their miserable campaign with a 3-0 defeat against Institute at the Showgrounds. Champions Bangor lifted the trophy at Clandeboye Park on Saturday after last week securing the title and Lee Feeney’s men signed off with a 3-1 win over Dundela ahead of their much-anticipated return to the top flight after 16 years away. But Saturday’s top-of-the-table jeopardy centred on the play-off spot with the Welders still in the running but a Stephen Murray goal three minutes from the end sealed the deal for Ciaran McGurgan’s Annagh after home keeper Joel Little had earlier saved an Aidan Steele penalty. Annagh host Stephen Baxter’s Carrick on Tuesday ahead of the return leg on Friday (both 7.45pm). The Welders squandered a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 at home to Limavady. Facebook pageTwitter feedRSS feed@2025 The Irish News Ltd Tenants of a veterans housing complex in Newington say they’re being treated unfairly by apartment management Residents of the Victory Gardens apartment complex say the Stamford-based landlord refused to reach an agreement with the tenants union after months of negotiation “We are gathered here today not because we want to be but because we have to be,” tenants union leader Saray Chappell said “Because despite months of good faith efforts despite our patience and our willingness to negotiate we have been met with nothing but broken promises and dead ends.” which is on land owned by the Veterans Affairs Hospital The Connecticut Tenants Union estimates about 66% of the apartments are rented by veterans While the majority of Victory Gardens renters are veterans many of the other tenants pay rent at an affordable rate Residents want access to the community room and the basements attached to each apartment Residents say the current property manager treats tenants poorly this time for the right to live in peace and we will not be ignored,” Chappell said While 80% of tenants signed a petition calling for a new property manager they initiated a slew of groundless evictions an army veteran and vice president of the Victory Gardens Tenants Union “Stupid reasons that you can just fix with conversation instead of paperwork you're spending more money getting a lawyer to write up some paperwork than just knocking on someone's door and having a conversation with them,” Silva-Perales said Receive daily news and talk from Connecticut Public Radio directly to your inbox