Kinder upgrade blitz to improve facilities in macedon

The Victorian Government is making sure young children have access to the best kinder facilities with hundreds of projects to upgrade and improve learning environments while supporting local jobs across Victoria.

Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas today announced that kindergartens in the Macedon Ranges have been given $390,726 funding to upgrade amenities and refurbishments from the first round of grants in the $30 million Building Blocks – Refurbishment and Minor Works program.

Projects include:

Manna Gum Family and Children’s Centre will receive $360,600 for a playground redevelopment that will include an extension the northern outdoor play space to include quiet and more natural play areas for the children. A correction to the existing northern space and developing and constructing the western play space to create an environment that supports and promotes inclusion, participation and a sense of belonging for children with all abilities.

This will provide children with areas in which children can develop their gross motor skills. The playground will include natural elements that allow children to connect to their world and learn about the environment, traditional owners and the eco system.

Lancefield Kindergarten will receive $30,126 to update children’s toilet amenities and staff office area. Proposed works will improve the condition of the facility, respond to occupational health and safety concerns and provide greater privacy for children at the centre.

In total, $12 million worth of grants will go towards 105 projects at kinders across the state.

Forty-seven projects will receive grants of up to $500,000 for major works and refurbishments, while 58 centres will receive grants of up to $50,000 for minor works and refurbishments.

Funding in this round will also help boost local economies by supporting more than 180 jobs in construction and associated industries.

Building Blocks Grants is a streamlined overarching funding scheme that supports early childhood providers with new and existing infrastructure and facilities for eligible three and four-year-old kindergarten services. For more information about Building Blocks Grants, visit: https://schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au/Pages/Building-Blocks.

In an Australian-first, the Government is investing almost $5 billion this decade to provide three-year-old children with access to an additional year of funded kindergarten programs.

From 2022, three-year-old children across the state will have access to at least five hours of kindergarten. Services will then scale up their hours to reach the full 15-hour program by 2029.

As part of the Three-Year-Old Kindergarten roll-out, the Victorian Budget 2021/22 has invested $1.68 billion to build and expand kindergarten facilities across the state over this decade.

Quote attributable to Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas
"We understand the importance of making sure our local early learning centres in the Macedon Ranges are able to give our local children the best start to life in the Education State."

Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Ingrid Stitt
"Building the Education State starts with the early years ─ we are raising the condition of existing kindergartens by ensuring they are modern, safe and fit-for-purpose to give our children the best start."

"This funding not only improves the condition of early childhood buildings, it also supports jobs and local communities across the state."