centre will be ready for occupancy by mid to late August. The Cobar Weekly snapped these photos of the centre at a guided walk through of the new facility on Monday
Building work on Cobar Shire Council’s brand new Early Learning Centre (ELC) at Ward Oval is all but complete.
Council’s Human Resources Manager, Summer Patterson, who oversees the ELC, said a few things still need to be finalised but they were hoping to receive their occupational certificate this week.
“Then that goes to the Department of Education and they come out and do a service approval inspection,” Ms Patterson explained.
She hopes the centre will be ready to open by mid to late August.
“Mid would be amazing but I’m probably being a bit too optimistic,” she said.
Ms Patterson explained their ‘road map’ to have the new centre fully up and operational as an 88 place centre will realistically take about 18 months to two years.
As part of Phase One, the centre will commence operating with places for 57 children, 10 full time educators, a fulltime trainee (possibly two) and will also continue with its school based traineeship program.
“We also hope to recruit some casual educators as well,” Ms Patterson said.
In Phase Two, the centre has plans to employ a cook and get its commercial kitchen up and running. In Phase 3 they hope to have the centre running at full capacity with 88 children.
All of the children currently in care at council’s Kubby House Child Care Centre in Bourke Street will transition across to the new ELC.
An additional 12 places will also be offered when the ELC opens next month.
Ms Patterson said it was exciting that Council would be able to offer care to at least 12 families in the 0-2 years age bracket who have been on Kubby’s waiting list.
“It could be more if they don’t require full time care. That’s 12 families (or more) who currently don’t have care,” she said
“It also means there’s now the opportunity for those mums to return to the workforce in the community,” Ms Patterson said.
The new ELC has six spacious classrooms.
The two Preschool rooms can each accommodate 30 children aged 3-5 years while the two Toddler rooms can each house 15 children, aged 2-3 years.
“These rooms are the same size as the room at Kubby where we have 19 children,” Ms Patterson commented.
“There’s so much space in this new building.”
The complex also has two Infants rooms for up to 12 babies from six weeks to two years.
Each classroom has a fridge, sink and lots of storage.
They are interconnecting and have seperate quiet space rooms, bathroom facilities and covered outdoor verandahs (ideal for messy play activities like painting).
Also in the new complex is a large reception area, office space and a tea room for Kubby staff, an office for Family Day Care staff, space for visiting allied health staff, a commercial kitchen, storage, a large enclosed outdoor play area and equipment storage areas.
Contractors and council staff will be installing the brand new furniture and resources this week.
“Kubby staff and council staff are really excited to see it all coming together.
“It’s such a wonderful building,” Ms Patterson said.
Prior to the ELC opening, the Kubby kids will have an excursion to look around and families will be invited to an open night.
