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Council Announces New Childcare Centre For Bairnsdale

East Gippsland Council has won crucial funding to build a state-of-the-art childcare facility at the Bairnsdale Aquatic and Recreation Centre (BARC).

By East Gippsland Shire Council - 26th July 2004 - Back to News

Mayor Harvey Bates said the Shire would match a State Government grant of $203,000 to build the new childcare facility.

Cr Bates said Council’s share of the funding had been included in the 2004/05 Budget.

"The new childcare facility will be built as an extension of the BARC, and it will cater for Occasional Care, Outside School Hours Care including After School Care and School Holiday Program, as well as school and community activities," Cr Bates said.

"Basically what it means is that we can provide parents with better facilities where their children can be minded while they are accessing the BARC sport and recreation centre.

"Naturally, the new facility will meet all of the current requirements for childcare centres and be designed accordingly. Parents will be able to leave their children at the facility and have confidence in the quality and style of childcare that will be available to them at the BARC."

Cr Bates said the current ad hoc childcare facilities at the centre were inadequate.

"The BARC has never had a dedicated childcare facility, but utilises a converted music room in the auditorium for Occasional Care and the foyer of the auditorium for After School and School Holiday programs. These arrangements are entirely unsatisfactory."

The Mayor said scores of families in Bairnsdale and the surrounding area would benefit from the new childcare facility.

"Statistics show the current childcare facilities at the BARC are extremely well used, with virtually no room for growth. The Occasional Care facility is licensed for 21 places; an average of 25 children from five local schools attend the only

After School Hours Care program in Bairnsdale; and, up to 90 children from as far as Bruthen, Paynesville and Lindenow attend the School Holiday Program at the centre."

The BARC is located within the Bairnsdale Secondary College Campus and the school has strongly supported the upgrade.

It is envisaged that the new facility will offer other usage options including: weekend art and craft classes, school music practice area, school and amateur drama group rehearsal area and as a venue for community meetings.

Cr Bates said the funding for the new childcare facility would now pave the way for Council to look at how it could improve other areas at the centre.

"It will enable the next stage of the redevelopment of the BARC to take place and that involves the upgrading of the auditorium, which is a significant project in itself.

"Council aims to upgrade the auditorium in the 2005/06 financial year but that’s subject to the receipt of State Government funds that will match our contribution."

For further information contact Cr Bates on 5153 9500.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com



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