Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett officially opened Agnes Water Child Care Centre’s new building today, on behalf of the Minister for Education, Training and Employment Minister John-Paul Langbroek.
Mr Bennett said the Queensland Government was proud to provide more than $152,000 in funding towards the new building under the government’s Essential Upgrades Grant Program, which aims to improve amenities and help services meet National Quality Standards.
He said through the program, the Queensland Government had invested up to $9 million across 75 long day care and limited hours care services.
“This is a massive program that provides eligible early childhood services across Queensland with between $50,000 and $200,000 each,” Mr Bennett said.
“Not-for-profit services just like the Agnes Water Child Care Centre are using this funding to enhance their facilities for the future delivery of quality kindergarten programs.
“Kindergarten children across Queensland are benefiting from projects such as the removal of asbestos, new nature-based play areas, the installation of air-conditioning and bathroom upgrades.
“These types of projects are improving the quality and safety of our early childhood facilities and allowed services to undertake projects that would have taken years to plan and save for.”
Mr Bennett said the new building, Sianne’s Room, or ‘Dolphin Room’, which was named after the child care centre’s highly respected past president Sianne Blacklock – was already providing benefits for the local community, with a kindergarten service now operating with 22 places.
Speaking at the official launch today, Mr Bennett praised past president Sianne Blacklock’s work, stating that she had been an inspiration.
“I’m told that she always went the ‘extra mile’. Nothing was ever too hard; she was always strong and there to help everyone,” he said.
Mr Bennett said with a fenced patio, kitchen and bathrooms, the new building is a self-sufficient unit with everything required to help our youngest learners get a great start to their education.