The
delivery of a new community hub and kindergarten in Armstrong Creek will be
fast tracked by three years.
The
City has secured a grant from the Victorian Government for a three-room modular construction kindergarten for 99 children on Warralily Boulevard, forming
part of the Bloinks Community Hub (interim name), from the $283 million
provided in the 2019–20 State Budget for Three-Year-Old Kindergarten capital
funding. Council resolved last night to co-contribute up to $3.5 million to
deliver a multipurpose community room and allied health suites in addition to
the kinder.
The
Victorian School Building Authority’s (VSBA) Building Blocks Capacity – Modular
Grant and Council funding will enable the kinder and community hub to open next
year, ahead of the original 2029 delivery date.
The
facility will service the area’s growing population, where 10.6 per cent of
residents in Armstrong Creek and Mount Duneed are babies and preschoolers –
nearly two times higher than the region’s average. Another 410 children under
four years old are estimated to call the area home by 2026.
Located
adjacent to the future Warralily Park Primary School (interim name) and
Coastside Drive Reserve, the Bloinks Community Hub (interim name) is
anticipated to include:
- three
kinder rooms, each with allocated outdoor play space and associated staff
areas.
- one
multipurpose community room for activities such as playgroup and family
support programs.
- allied
health suites.
- landscaping
and carparking.
Greater
Geelong Mayor Stretch Kontelj OAM
We
are thrilled to receive this grant from the Victorian School Building Authority
as it means Warralily residents will have a kindergarten and community hub
three years sooner than planned.
Council’s
co-contribution will fund additional items, including a multipurpose community
room, more consulting spaces, larger kinder outdoor play areas and 17 extra
carparks.
We
can’t wait to see the modular Bloinks Community Hub (interim name) up and
running in 2026 next to Warralily Park Primary School.
Councillor
Andrew Katos
The community hub will be the first modular constructed
building to be delivered by the Victorian School Building Authority on
City-owned land.
We’re
proud to collaborate with the Victorian Government and co-contribute funding
towards a conveniently located community hub that will improve accessibility
for a rapidly growing community.
Children
from Armstrong Creek will get access to a high-quality learning environment
more quickly and families will have a ‘single drop off’ point for kinder and
school.
Member
for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney MP
Armstrong Creek is growing quickly
– and families there deserve the infrastructure to grow with it.
This
new hub will bring kindergarten, health services and a welcoming space for the
community all under one roof – three years earlier than expected. It’s all
about making sure our vibrant local families get the very best start in life,
close to home.
This
is such a great win for Armstrong Creek. With so many young families in the
area, the new kinder and community hub will make a real difference – helping
parents juggle daily life with a single drop-off point, and giving local kids
access to modern, high-quality learning spaces right from the get-go.
I’m
proud the Victorian Government is backing this exciting project – because we
know how important it is to invest in growing communities. By fast-tracking
this hub, we’re creating a place where families can connect, learn, and access
the support they need, all in the heart of Armstrong Creek.
New
kindergarten facilities are required across the state to ensure the Victorian
Government can deliver on its ‘Best Start, Best Life’ reforms, which
have introduced free kinder and additional hours at kinder for every child.
Modular
kindergartens are constructed in a factory in sections called ‘modules’. The
modules are then assembled onsite and connected to utilities, before outdoor
areas and other works are completed.
Parents can express their interest in a kinder place at this centre for 2026.
The City will soon release an Expression of Interest inviting proposals from service
operators to lease the site and deliver kindergarten and community spaces. Hit
‘Follow’ to be informed once the opportunity is open.