August 12th, 2023Plans progress for Lancefield’s new kinder

Improved early years services are a step closer for Lancefield, with planning progressing on a new kindergarten and Maternal and Child Health (MCH) building due to open in 2024.

Funded and led by the Victorian Government’s Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA), the purpose-built three-room kindergarten and MCH facility will be largely built offsite through modular construction and later transported to its home at 76A High Street.

Council’s Director Community, Maria Weiss, said the new centre was one of Council’s priority projects resulting from the Municipal Early Years plan (CREATE), which identified a need for additional contemporary, fit-for-purpose early years infrastructure in Lancefield.

“There has been increased demand in Lancefield and surrounding areas due to population growth, the roll-out of 15 hours of funded kindergarten for three-year-olds, and the recently announced increase to 30 hours of pre-prep for four-year-olds,” she said.

“This new centre will provide more rooms to allow for future kinder participants and alleviate some of the pressure on surrounding areas of the shire. It will also see the return of a Maternal and Child Health service to the town, which we know is something residents are very much looking forward to.”

The project is supported by a $3 million VSBA Building Blocks Capacity Grant and once complete, the Macedon Ranges Shire Council will manage the new kindergarten and MCH services.

The council has allocated $16,000 in its 2023-24 Budget to ensure the new centre is fully furnished, and $100,000 to ensure the build has improved environmental and sustainable design elements to make it more comfortable for children and staff, and more efficient and cost-effective to run in the long term.