Box Hill North preschool upgrade provides additional kinder places

• Woodhouse Grove Kindergarten upgrade now open
• Upgrade provides 21 additional kindergarten places for Box Hill North families
• Napthine Government building a better Victoria by investing in early years services

Member for Box Hill Robert Clark today joined local children and families at the Woodhouse Grove Kindergarten Family Fun Day to open the $442,800 upgrade to the centre. 

Mr Clark said the new learning space has increased kindergarten places from 29 to 50 places to meet demand for high-quality early years services in the local area. 

“Today’s opening is a real milestone for the Woodhouse Grove Kindergarten community,” Mr Clark said.

“It marks the completion of a project that will improve the quality and amenity of the centre and outdoor play area, while giving more families access to its highly regarded programs.”

The Napthine Government invested $300,000 in the project, adding to the $68,000 from the City of Whitehorse and $74,800 raised by kindergarten community.

 “This project is testament to what can be achieved through the combined contributions of state government, council and the community,” Mr Clark said.

“The local fund raising efforts are a tribute to the dedication, hard work and generosity of parents, friends and supporters.”

Woodhouse Grove Kindergarten is the latest local recipient of the Coalition Government funding, with Box Hill North Primary Kindergarten and St Augustine’s Anglican Kindergarten in Mont Albert also having received major upgrade grants.

Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development Wendy Lovell said investing in early years infrastructure was part of the government’s plan to make Victoria a world leader in children’s learning and development.

“Victoria already leads the nation in early childhood education and care, and by improving facilities and increasing access to services, we are making Victoria an even better place for families to raise their children,” she said.

Since December 2010, the Victorian Coalition Government has invested $120 million to build or upgrade over 300 Victorian children’s centres, creating more than 8500 new kindergarten places and generating hundreds of jobs in building, construction and related industries.

Much of this investment has flowed directly to families in Melbourne’s east, supporting them to give their children the very best start in life.