Te Anau subdivision to host new early childcare centre

Te Anau subdivision to host much-needed new early childcare centre

A new early childcare centre in popular Te Anau residential development The Delta is expected to ease the town’s burgeoning preschool education pressures.

The centre, which will have capacity for up to 65 children aged zero to five, has recently been given the green light by Southland District Council.

The early learning centre will be located on a 1634sq m section at 55 Pounamu Avenue in The Delta and will be owned and managed by Te Anau local, Tina Hardie.

The centre will include three separate spacious indoor areas for infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers with age-appropriate toys and innovative learning resources. A 600sq m landscaped outdoor area will include both natural environment features and play structures such as a fort and bike track, plus a separate outdoor play area for infants.

Construction is due to begin in the new year and the centre is expected to open in mid-2017.

Hardie is a registered teacher with 16 years’ teaching experience. She’s aware of the current waiting lists and large class sizes affecting local schools.

“Te Anau has been grappling with waiting lists in early childcare for several years now. With the growth that Te Anau is currently experiencing and more families moving here, a new centre will create much-needed capacity. It will also provide more choice and give parents the flexibility they need when juggling work, family and their child's care and learning,” she says.

Hardie is passionate about ensuring the children of Te Anau have the best experiences and opportunities possible: “We want to create a communal space for children and their families where they can have fun, make meaningful relationships and develop a sense of themselves as confident and competent learners.”

The Delta developer Adam Fairmaid says Te Anau is experiencing increased demand for housing, with young families moving there as an affordable alternative to the pricy Southern Lakes property market.

“The Delta has seen a significant lift in sales this year, with buyers taking advantage of entry-level pricing of $62,000, right up to $275,000 for spacious lakefront lots. It’s fantastic to see so many young families moving here and we are delighted to be able to provide space for the centre, which will become an important community asset,” Fairmaid adds.

ENDS

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