THE future of the Chelsea Heights Kindergarten is uncertain amid a funding shortfall that families hope Kingston Council can resolve.
The discovery of culturally sensitive indigenous artefacts earlier this year at Department of Education land opposite the Chelsea Heights shopping strip at Thames Promenade nixed plans to relocate the kindergarten from its existing Third Ave site.
The kinder now needs to be redeveloped with a second room crucial for its long-term viability.
The state government has pledged to pitch in $450,000 for redevelopment works but The News understands council officers have indicated council was willing to contribute about $60,000 towards Chelsea Heights Kindergarten improvements.
Chelsea Heights Kindergarten president Nicole Adams said it is disappointing that council seems unwilling to return more Chelsea Heights ratepayers’ money into the much-needed redevelopment.
“What we’re asking for isn’t a massive amount and we’re doing it for the local community,” she said.
“We need to have a second room to keep us competitive and fulfil the needs of the community in future years. It’s frustrating they [council] don’t seem to be seeing it from that point of view at this stage.”
Funding for the Chelsea Heights Kindergarten has been complicated by a funding swap whereby the Labor state government agreed to honour but reallocate $2 million earmarked by the previous Coalition state government for the Chelsea Heights Kindergarten move to Chelsea Kindergarten instead.
Chelsea Kindergarten is happy to move while Chelsea Heights prefers to stay put.
Ms Adams said the parents committee at Chelsea Heights Kindergarten are happy for the $2 million to go to Chelsea Kindergarten in the proposed funding swap deal since they were never consulted on their move from Third Ave in the first place and would prefer to remain there.
“We’re trying to keep it there for future families,” she said.
Mordialloc Labor MP Tim Richardson says he has been working with the Chelsea Heights Kinder committee to try to find a solution to the funding impasse.
He said the state government is willing to contribute $2.35 million of taxpayers’ money to both Chelsea Heights and Chelsea kindergartens and he urged council to come to the table.
“We need council to contribute a fair share and contribute to their community,” Mr Richardson said.
“This is a great volunteer kinder community who are all volunteers giving up their time for the betterment of the community so I’d just ask council to consider making that fair contribution to ensure they get what they need for the next 20 years.”
Kingston mayor Cr Geoff Gledhill said he understands Chelsea Heights Kindergarten’s need for a second room due to improved state mandated child to carer ratios due to begin from January next year.
“We’ve done a costing on what Chelsea Heights actually want and council officers will look at the available funding for next year’s council budget,” he said.
“I think we’ll be able to sort it out.”
Chelsea Kindergarten may move from its existing Catherine Ave location to a site at Chelsea Primary School in Argyle Ave.
Labor had pledged $350,000 to upgrade Chelsea Kinder’s existing premises before agreeing to the funding swap. The council-owned land at Catherine Ave is on a corner block in a housing estate and could be sold if the kinder moves to Argyle Ave.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 2 September 2015
