Joshua, Mikayla, Liam, Joel, Jarred and in the back Amber, Will, PJ, Owen, Stella and Ebony are over the moon about their new playground, celebrated with Federal Casey MP Tony Smith, Tony Forbes from the Wandin Seville Community Bendigo Bank and Wandin North Preschool president Sarah Eastham.
By Mara Pattison-Sowden
TINY tots now have their own castle to play in at Wandin’s preschool.
Staff, parents and children opened the new $28,000 playground at Wandin North Preschool last Monday with an exploration of its features and a sausage sizzle to celebrate.
The old treated pine playground was an eyesore and council officers condemned it earlier in the year, but the preschool had to find its own funding to build a new one.
With almost 70 children in three-year-old and four-year-old kinder groups, the community has been working together to get the job done.
Preschool committee treasurer Monique Scharp said the committee was keen to re-build using wood.
“We wanted something that didn’t look like a McDonald’s playground, and built specifically for early learning requirements,” she said.
“The old one has been around almost as long as the preschool, which is at least 50 years, so we knew we needed something new soon.”
Wandin Rotary Club helped tear down the old playground, and the new structure, made of white cypress, was erected before a blink of the children’s eyes.
The preschool managed to raise $8000 over the past few years, and pooled that with $10,000 brought from the merger of Wandin Kids Cottage in 2010, and a grant of $10,000 from Wandin Seville Community Bank branch of the Bendigo Bank to make a “really fun” playground, according to the children.
Federal Casey MP Tony Smith officially opened the playground last week, and was impressed with the community effort displayed.
“I’m a kinder dad myself and I know the success of our kinders depends on the contribution and commitment of parents and community groups,” he said.
“This playground is a great example of where the community has worked together.”
