New $7.5 million children’s hub to make life easier for Upwey families
The brand new Sherbrooke Children's Centre will give Upwey families the convenience of a one stop shop for vital early childhood services.
Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development Wendy Lovell today attended the official opening of the first stage of the new $7.5 million hub, which provides maternal and child health and other children's services.
When completed later this year, the centre will also be home to a kindergarten, early childhood intervention services for children with disabilities or developmental delays and a family day care co-ordination unit. A community meeting space and a toy library will follow.
"The convenience of this brand new hub as a one-stop-shop for early childhood services will have a huge, positive impact on Upwey families," Ms Lovell said.
"Sherbrooke Children's Centre is an example of how we can make early childhood development and education a seamless experience, easing the burden on parents, and giving children the best start in life."
Stage 1 of the hub offers maternal and child health facilities and 48 long day care places.
Stage 2 will deliver three and four year old kindergarten programs at Upwey Preschool, which will be based at the centre, and the number of long day care places will increase to 110.
Yarra Ranges Shire Council provided $5.4 million for the project, the Commonwealth supplied $1.6 million and the Victorian Government contributed $500,000.
"We're delighted to partner with local governments such as the Yarra Ranges Shire Council to deliver outstanding early years services like Sherbrooke Children's Centre," Ms Lovell said.
"The Sherbrooke Children's Centre is a wonderful asset for the whole community, and an example of why the Victorian Government has recently committed an additional $50 million to build, upgrade or extend children's services," Ms Lovell said.
The $50 million 2012-13 capital grants round, which will be available for facilities such as Sherbrooke Children's Centre, will be open for applications soon.
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