By Olivia Condous
Moorabool Shire Council has received an additional $2 million in funding from the state government for a new integrated children’s centre in Maddingley.
The funding will allow council to finalise the design for the West Maddingley Early Years and Community Hub, a facility that has long been in high demand for the area.
The funding is a part of the Victorian Government Building Blocks Capacity Building Grant stream and will supplement the $3.5 million of state funding granted for the project last year.
Moorabool mayor Tom Sullivan said the council had long planned to construct an early years hub in West Maddingley after a similar one was constructed in Darley.
“West Maddingley is growing at a rapid rate and is home to many young families, so to receive this funding and be secure in the knowledge we can go ahead and build another great early years facility is fantastic news,” he said.
The new children’s centre will host a kindergarten, maternal and child health services, playgroups, parent groups and consulting rooms for visiting services and community spaces.
“So much research has shown how vital education is in those first few years of life, the pre-school years,” Mayor Sullivan said.
“The West Maddingley Early Years Hub will provide integrated, inclusive and collaborative early years services and community spaces that offer access to high quality health, education, care and other child and family services,”
“We thank the state government for its investment in this important project.”
Construction of the early years hub is set to be completed in the second half of 2023.
