Works start on new child and family centre

Works have begun on a new childcare centre in Officer. Photo: SUPPLIED

Construction has officially kicked off at the Toun-nun Integrated Child and Family Centre on Fairweather Parade in Officer.

The brand-new centre is expected to be completed by November 2023, and will offer 132 new places to kinder-aged kids.

Cardinia Shire Mayor Councillor Tammy Radford officially turned the sod at the site this morning with State Minister for Early Childhood and Pre-Prep MP Ingrid Stitt, along with Member for Pakenham Emma Vulin.

The facility was formerly known as Brunt Road Integrated Child and Family Centre.

The site will offer three kindergarten program rooms, a community room that is future proofed as an additional kinder room, three consult rooms to cater for Maternal and Child Health and other allied health professionals, an outdoor play space, public art project and many more wonderful amenities.

The exciting project received funding from Victorian Government through the Victorian School Building Authority’s Building Blocks Capacity Grant Program, and from the Jobs, Precincts and Region’s Growing Suburbs Fund.

The build also received developer contributions.

The facility was named ‘Toun-nun’, meaning warm, following consultation with the local community, historical groups and the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation.

The Cardinia Shire Council thanked everyone who had their say during the consultation phase.

The event also included a walkthrough of Konewark Integrated Child and Family Centre that opened in Officer in January 2022, which also received funding from the Victorian Government through the Building Blocks Capacity Grant Program, and the Growing Suburbs Fund.

For more details and to keep up to date with the construction of child and family centres in Cardinia Shire, visit the Council’s major projects website at cardinia.vic.gov.au/majorprojects.