Council receives $18 million for new children’s and community centres
Published on 27 November 2024
Melton City Council has welcomed an $18 million funding boost under the Victorian Government’s Building Blocks Partnerships Fund which will help deliver vital early learning infrastructure projects for its fast-growing community.
The Hon. Lizzie Blandthorn MP, Minister for Children, and Member for Kororoit Luba Grigorovitch MP recently visited Timbertop Children’s and Community Centre to announce funding under the Building Blocks Partnerships Fund for two additional children’s and community centres in Aintree and in Weir Views.
Each centre will provide an additional 251 funded places for 3-year-old and 4-year-old kindergarten.
Aintree Children’s and Community Centre is set to open in Term 1, 2027 and will provide four kindergarten rooms, two Maternal and Child Health consulting rooms and community meeting spaces.
The centre has an estimated total project cost of $16.36 million, with the Building Blocks Partnership fund contributing $9 million and Council contributing $7.36 million.
Weir View Children’s and Community Centre will open in Term 1, 2026, and will provide four kindergarten rooms, two Maternal and Child Health consulting rooms and community meeting spaces.
The centre has an estimated total project cost of $18.81 million with the Building Blocks Partnership fund contributing $9 million, and Council contributing $9.81 million.
These projects and associated funding are part of Council’s Building Blocks Partnership Agreement with the Department of Education, and further supports the roll out of the Best Start, Best Life reform.
Quotes attributable to City of Melton Mayor Cr Steve Abboushi:
“These projects will help meet the increasing demand for funded 3- and 4-year-old kindergarten places, maternal and child health services, and vital community and health services and programs, in the fast-growing suburbs of Aintree and Weir Views.”
“Council currently owns 23 kindergarten facilities, six of which were built in the past five years.”
“Despite these new builds, our rapidly growing population will see an even greater need for new facilities to support the 36,060 children projected to be aged under five in 2051.”
“Council embraces the opportunity to work collaboratively with the Victorian Government to ensure these needs are met and is appreciative of the ongoing support for the work we undertake in this area across the City.”