The concept plans for Perth's new early learning centre have been revealed, with the $2.6 million development set to be completed by 2022.
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The proposed centre will be located next to the Perth Primary School kindergarten on Fore Street and run by the Northern Midlands Council.
It will cater for up to 46 children, 12 between the ages of zero and 18 months, 14 from 18 months to three-years-old and 20 in the three to five year age bracket. With the capacity for 40 after school care places also.
This is in comparison to the existing centre at the Perth Community Centre, which can only cater for up to 20 children.
Mayor Mary Knowles said the new centre would replace the existing centre at Perth, unless numbers grew to the extent that both were needed.
"The town's population is predicted to double over the next 20 years, from 3,000 in 2019, to 6,000 in 2039," she said.
"Demand for places at the existing early learning centre well exceeds supply, and the town's rapid growth in forthcoming years will further increase the demand for early learning/child care places in the town.
"Given the challenges associated with the early learning centre being collocated with the community centre, and the pressing need to expand the capacity of the centre, council has sought an alternative site."
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Planning approval is yet to be sort by the council, but a development application is expected to be lodged in upcoming months for the project.
It is expected development will commence in May or June this year, before its planned completion at the beginning of 2022.
Cr Knowles said the vacant land was identified and purchased by the council in late 2018 for the centre.
"Working parents need safe, reliable and affordable child care. For low-income parents moving from welfare into the workforce, that can be hard to find," she said.
"The new early learning centre will assist such parents, as council operates the centre as a not-for-profit, and maintains fees at the lowest rate possible to cover costs."
Once completed, the new centre will employ eight full time staff members.
The project is being funded by $2.6 million promised by the coalition in 2019 and the council said it was expected to cover the entire cost of the centre.
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Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
