FAQs

The existing building will be demolished to make way for the new Early Years hub.  Following redevelopment, Neighbourhood Centre activities will continue to be offered from a variety of areas throughout the existing and proposed buildings.  During construction works, every effort will be made to relocate the various Neighbourhood Centre programs to alternative venues.

The existing building will not be retained in its’ current form.

There may be the opportunity to incorporate some of the existing ‘cottage’ brickwork into the new building, in recognition that the ‘Smith’s Cottage’ façade (constructed 2001) was an element of Bicentennial celebrations.  

The existing building is not big enough to accommodate the forecast demand for early years places.  A full redevelopment has been deemed the most effective method of meeting community need, now and into the future.  

The Victorian Government has made some significant changes to the level of funding available for Early Years education, supporting both three and four-year old children to access subsidised kinder hours.  With a growing population, this places more pressure on our existing kindergarten facilities than can be presently accommodated.  

The outdoor play space has been designed in response to education regulations, ensuring sufficient space  to accommodate proposed level of early years enrolments.  By placing the play space on the North aspect of the building, we can minimise the impact of this development on existing, mature trees, opening the playrooms to receive strong natural light.  

Development right to the boundary removes any opportunity for undesirable/anti-social behaviour between the play space and private residences.

There are currently no plans to redevelop the building close to Marcus Road, currently tenanted by the Historical Society.

Marcus Rd Kindergarten will relocate to the proposed hub.

Jacks Ave Kindergarten will remain fully operational after the hub development.  There are no plans to relocate this service to the new facility.

Redevelopment of this site has been independently estimated at $6.6 Million.  It is anticipated that the project would be eligible for a State Government Grant of up to $2 Million.  At this stage, the balance and source of funding has not been confirmed

In the absence of confirmed funding, there are no clear timeframes for construction.  However, we anticipate pressure on early years’ service will reach a pinch point around 2026, so we hope to have works underway prior to then.

The accompanying drawings refer to the building as a ‘Family & Children’s Centre’.

However, we are still working with stakeholders on the most suitable name for this future development

Development of an early years hub requires a suitable number of car parks, with a focus on safe vehicle and pedestrian movements at all times.  By condensing the basketball court to a half-court (with an improved playing surface) we are able to maximise carparking to adequately serve the early years hub, library and community meeting space.  

The Souter Pavlion is in the initial planning phase. 

A pedestrian footpath is proposed to provide increased connectivity between the sports pavilion, playground and community precinct, as indicated within the attached files.