Kindergarten critical to address shortfall

Funds are urgently needed to build a new kindergarten in Warragul to meet a forecast shortfall of places next year.

Baw Baw Shire Council has sought $650,000 funding to build a new early learning centre on the Warragul Primary School site.

A new centre would cater for 66 four-year-old places and would help meet the need following the closure of Bowen Park Kindergarten.

Council has provision for funds of $1,758,000 towards the project.

Member for Narracan Gary Blackwood also spoke in parliament last week, urging the state government to fund this crucial infrastructure.

The proposed facility to be co-located on the primary school site, includes multi-use rooms tailored for kindergarten and play group use during school hours, and allied health and early childhood intervention services during the day.

It also would have the ability to provide a much needed community hub outside of kindergarten hours.

Mayor Joe Gauci said the grant application was a positive step in the right direction to address the growing need for more local kindergarten infrastructure.

“Our shire is experiencing unprecedented population growth. There is an influx of young families moving to the shire and as birth rates continue to rise, so does the need for early year’s services.

“We face many gaps in local kindergarten service and infrastructure needs which simply put, are out of council’s jurisdiction. We will continue to lobby the state and federal government to make these needs known.

“The grant application aligns with our four year council plan which has a strong focus on advocacy on behalf of current and future community needs, especially for the growing demand for kindergarten places,” he said.

Cr Gauci said the impending closure of the Bowen Park kindergarten will see a loss of a further 52 places, putting even more stress on kindergarten capacity in Warragul.

“In response to the closure and population growth, council has worked closely with other services through their early years managers to increase their capacity to offset these factors.

“However Warragul is still facing a significant shortfall of funded places for 2018 and beyond,” he said.

The proposed project includes consulting space for early childhood services, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, school based psychologists, and other allied health services.

The size of the proposed centre has been based on requirements around growth projections and regulations related to educator to child ratios.

Council has been in close consultation with the Warragul Primary School and both parties acknowledge the value of a co-located centre.

Cr Gauci said the state government indicated funding outcomes would be announced by January 2018.

Blackwood calls for funds – p13