Ashley Dunn. All three were impressed with the progress of the build to date.
With the framework almost completed on the new Early Learning Centre (ELC) at Ward Oval, you can start to get a sense of what a great space it’s going to be.
Johnny Wellman, the site manager for building contractor, David Payne Construction, provided The Cobar Weekly with an update on the project during a walk-through of the site last Wednesday.
Johnny said the frame would be complete in about four to five weeks and then it will be ready for the roof to go on.
“That will take about seven days,” Johnny said.
“The goal is we’re wrapped up, windows in, roof on, at lock up, by end of October.
“That’s the next milestone from here.”
He said while rain had caused some delays and erection of the framework was taking longer than first anticipated, they were however running pretty close to schedule.
Johnny said about 80 per cent of the inground services (electrical and plumbing) had been completed and the rough-in would commence in about four to five weeks (at lock-up stage).
David Payne Construction is also concurrently building the new multipurpose hall at Ward Oval and that project is running about three weeks behind the ELC.
Johnny said another crew of carpenters would be arriving on site this week to start erecting the framework for the hall.
He said their target was for the whole Ward Oval project to be complete by February.
When complete Cobar Shire Council’s Kubby House Child Care Centre will move to the new ELC and the service will expand to accommodate 88 child care places.
In addition to Cobar Shire Council staff, including Kubby centre coordinator Peta Rufo, and the media having a walk-through last week, architect Ashley Dunn from Dunn & Hillam, was also on site to see how things were going.
Ashley said he was very pleased with the progress and said so far the build had gone exactly to plan.
He pointed out various features of the new centre, explained how each of the rooms were laid out and how they were connected to the bathrooms and to the outside play areas.
Ashley said one of the features they had included in the older children’s room (the preschoolers) was a large picture window where children will be able to look out on to the adjacent Cobar Public School oval, which is where some of the children will go to school the following year, and making it already familiar to them.
He pointed out the enclosed verandah outdoor area which will be able to be used for play on wet days and also on very hot days.
Ashley said additional thought had gone into planning the large storage area which has roller door access front and back which will make it easy for staff to pack away and store large outdoor play equipment, bikes etc
After her walk-through last week, Kubby House coordinator Peta Rufo said she was really excited with the progress being made at the new ELC.
“The architects have taken a very considered approach to all aspects of early childhood education in the design.
“The ELC is going to provide our children with a quality learning space for many years to come,” Peta said.
