Media Release
Friday, 14 March 2014
New early years centre for Avondale Heights
officially opened
The recently completed Avondale Heights Community Precinct Early Years Centre will be
officially opened on Wednesday, 18 March, with a community open night to be held the
following week.
The brand new community facility includes a dual preschool with a beautiful landscaped
children’s play area, as well as Maternal and Child Health consulting suites.
The construction of this brand new centre has been a $2.475 million project, funded by Council
with the support of the State Government.
Moonee Valley Mayor, Cr Jan Chantry, who will officially open the centre alongside The Hon
Wendy Lovell MLC, Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development, said the project
was undertaken as part of stage 2A of the Avondale Heights Community Precinct Vision and
Master Plan, which was adopted by Council in May 2012.
“The completion of the centre is an exciting step towards our long-term vision for the Avondale
Heights Community Precinct, which is to create a vibrant, all-ages community hub with a
neighbourhood focus,” said Cr Chantry.
“This new early years centre will allow families to access a variety of services in the one
location, including preschool and Maternal Child Health services, as well as library services
and community programs next door at Avondale Heights Library and Learning Centre.”
“This co-location of services makes them much more accessible for families.”
Council’s Family, Aged, Disability and Youth portfolio holder, Cr Narelle Sharpe, said the new
centre increased the capacity of four year old preschool and three year old programs in the
Avondale Heights area, providing spaces for 108 children.
“This new centre has been such an important project for the Avondale Heights community, with
population projections forecasting an increase in the number of young children in the area over
the next 20 years,” said Cr Sharpe
“With the completion of the Avondale Heights Community Precinct Early Years Centre, we’ve
increased the capacity of our programs, to ensure we can accommodate families well into the
future. The centre enables us to continue to provide families with access to the minimum 15
hours of preschool per week required under Universal Access, which highlights the importance
of preschool for children in the year before starting school.
Preschool and Maternal and Child Health services have been operating out of the new centre
since the beginning of term one in February this year, and Council has received very positive
feedback from families about the new centre.
A community open night will be held at the centre on Wednesday, 26 March. Community
members can drop in any time between 6.30pm and 7.30pm on the night, for an opportunity to
visit and explore the state-of-the-art new facility.
Community open night
Date: Wednesday, 26 March
Time: Drop in any time between 6.30pm-7.30pm
Address: 2A Clarendon Street, Avondale Heights
To find out more about the new centre, or about the Avondale Heights Community Precinct
Vision and Master Plan, please visit mvcc.vic.gov.au/ahcp
ENDS
Photo opportunity:
A photo opportunity will be available for media at the official opening, with Mayor Cr Jan Chantry and
The Hon Wendy Lovell MLC, Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development, as well as
children and families at the centre. Please advise if you wish to attend or send a photographer to this
event.
Date: Tuesday, 18 March
Time: 11.30am-12.30pm
Address: 2A Clarendon Street, Avondale Heights
Media enquiries:
Letitia Duncan, Media and Communications Team Leader
Mobile: 0408 570 106; Email: media@mvcc.vic.gov.au
mvcc.vic.gov.au | 9243 8888
9 Kellaway Ave – PO Box 126 Moonee Ponds VIC 3039
/mooneevalleycc