A NEW three-room kindergarten in Point Cook is expected to ease pressure on waiting lists as Wyndham’s explosive population growth continues.
After reaching an agreement with the state government, the council has flagged that construction of the new kindergarten on the site slated for the Point Cook South East P-9 school will begin in coming months.
And Featherbrook Community Centre’s kindy, which opened in February for 150 four-year-olds, will get a third room after the council awarded a $913,757 contract last week.
The council’s forecasts show there are enough babies born in Wyndham each week to fill two kindergarten classrooms. The new Featherbrook kindy helped cut the first-preference waiting list from 243 children last year to 195 this year.
Mayor Kim McAliney said the building plans showed the council’s commitment to ensure the city’s rapidly growing population didn’t outstrip services.
“The construction of a third kindergarten room at Featherbrook will accommodate Point Cook’s growing number of children at one of our newest community centres,” she said.
“This facility will expand on the services offered at the two existing kindergarten rooms at the centre, which also offer maternal and child health services and a number of courses and programs.”
Truganina ward’s Cr Bob Fairclough said the new kindergarten at Point Cook South East P-9 was a “positive template” on how councils should gear towards early learning hubs.
Earlier this year, Point Cook mother Kylie Kennett told the Weekly the new Featherbrook kindergarten meant she was able to enrol her son Dean, 4, after he missed out on a spot at Jamieson Way kinder.
“If it wasn’t for this new kinder, he wouldn’t be able to attend one in Point Cook because they’ve all been so full.”
