Two new community centres were officially opened in Aintree and Fraser Rise this week, bringing more much-needed kindergarten spaces and making way for additional community programs, maternal and child health services and child care.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews joined City of Melton Mayor Cr Lara Carli and Member for Sydenham the Hon. Natalie Hutchins to open the $8.8 million Fraser Rise Children’s & Community Centre on Wednesday.
Earlier in the week, Cr Carli and Member for Kororiot the Hon. Marlene Kairouz opened the $8.2 million Timbertop Children’s & Community Centre in Aintree.
Both centres will improve Council’s capacity to deliver early childhood and community services in two rapidly growing areas – Aintree’s population is set to triple over the next 30 years, while in Fraser Rise the population is estimated to grow fivefold.
The centres also provide space for local service providers to deliver activities, programs and services for the whole community.
Cr Carli said she was proud that Council could deliver two modern centres that would bring immediate benefit not just for existing residents, but to many future residents too.
“These areas of our City are experiencing a population boom, so to deliver forward-thinking, multi-purpose facilities now is vital and something we’re very proud to be doing,” Cr Carli said.
“Already we’re seeing our littlest residents settling into kinder, and programs and services are ready to be delivered throughout the centres.
“It’s really exciting to think about how important these spaces will be to those who’ll use them on a regular basis.”
Fraser Rise Children’s & Community Centre was funded with $5.6 million from Melton City Council, $1.6 million from the State Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund and $1.6 million from the Departnment of Education.
Timbertop Children’s & Community Centre was funded with $6.4 million from Melton City Council, $1 million from the State Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund and $790,000 from the Department of Education.
“We are very grateful to the State Government for supporting both of these important developments,” Cr Carli said.
“It was a particular honour to have Premier Daniel Andrews visit the City of Melton to celebrate one of the many projects the State Government has helped make possible.”
Fraser Rise Children’s & Community Centre:
- Two kindergarten rooms with outdoor playspaces
- Two flexible activity rooms for occassional care with outdoor play space
- Consulting suite for outreach services and visiting allied health practitioners
- A large community room
- A library kiosk and reading areas
- Outdoor play and community space
- Community lounge areas
- Plug and play workspaces for community
- Administrative space for Council and providers
- Change rooms and amenities for the adjacent sports pavilion and grounds
- Community kitchen
- Two Maternal Child Health consulting rooms, waiting room, breastfeeding space and additional specialist consulting room
- Outdoor amphitheatre
Timbertop Children’s & Community Centre:
- Two kindergarten rooms with a playgroup space
- Two community rooms that can be combined
- An long day care service with outdoor spaces
- Consulting suites for outreach services and visiting allied health practitioners
- Arts and cultural spaces
- A library kiosk
- Outdoor play and community space
- Community lounge area
