Community celebrates new early learning centre

The Independent Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr McGirr, has congratulated the Lockhart community on the official opening of the town’s new long daycare centre. 

The Lockhart Early Learning Centre, developed in the grounds of the Lockhart Central School, provides care for up to 25 children aged from six weeks to six years, every weekday. 

It was developed in just ten months, following the closure last year of the town’s only daycare provider. 

Dr McGirr said the closure had left local families in limbo, but the community stepped up to provide a solution. 

“I was very proud to work with parents, the NSW Government and Lockhart Shire Council to find a solution to a very real problem that was affecting the ability of parents to work and acting as a brake on social and economic development in the town,” Dr McGirr said. 

“To plan, design and build a new, state-of-the-art early education centre in less than a year is an amazing tribute to the community’s can-do attitude, and all involved deserve congratulations for making such an enormous difference in such a short time.” 

Dr McGirr thanked the council and school leaders for swiftly solving what could have been a serious problem by transforming a section of the school into a well-designed, modern centre that will give local children the best start on their educational journey. 

“The opening is a great reward for the Lockhart community’s vision and hard work, and I know local families will benefit from quality early childhood education and care provision for generations of children to come,” he said.  

Dr McGirr thanked the Education Department and Minister Prue Car for their support of the project. 

“This collaboration, spearheaded by parents who insisted on having the best facility possible for their children, will enhance social connectivity in the community, ensuring parents can go to work in the knowledge their children have the best of care,” he said. 

“It’s another example of how close-knit, determined country communities can bring about real and lasting change and I’m delighted to have worked with all involved to bring this wonderful improvement to Lockhart and surrounds.”