Moorabool Council will spend $100,000 on plans for a new children’s hub in Bacchus Marsh to ease demand on kindergartens and childcare centres that are reaching capacity.
With the shire attracting many young families wanting to move out of the city, the council’s general manager of infrastructure, Phil Jeffrey, said the proposed hub could either replace or complement other kindergartens in Bacchus Marsh.
‘‘Bacchus Marsh is growing fast and all our other kindergartens and children’s centres are reaching capacity,’’ he said.
The council’s population fore- casts show the number of children aged up to four is set to jump from about 1600 in 2006 to nearly 2500 by 2021.
Bacchus Marsh Childcare and Kindergarten Centre director Mary Murphy said a new centre would have a ‘‘small effect’’ on easing pressure on its operations, but she suggested Maddingley as an ideal site.
While next year’s enrolments won’t be known until September, a Darley preschool spokeswoman said its centre was at its limit. ‘‘We’re bang-on capacity,’’ she said.
Pentland Childcare and Kinder- garten is also full up, while Bacchus Marsh Childcare and Kindergarten and Bacchus Marsh Montessori have places left.
Mr Jeffrey said the council would pursue grants to help fund the hub.
