Community centre project launched

A $17 million children’s and community centre to open at Armstrong Creek will be the “biggest” of its kind in greater Geelong, City Hall has announced.
Expressions were open to build the integrated facility in eastern Armstrong Creek for opening in 2019, City Hall said in a statement on Thursday afternoon.
“The project will be the biggest integrated centre of its kind in the greater Geelong region,” the City said.
“The new centre will include 99 new preschool places and long day care for 116 children, as well as maternal and child health and family support services.
“It will be built next to the new Armstrong Creek Education Precinct, which is currently under construction.”
The facility would offer children’s services along with “shared spaces for the community”, including four rooms, a commercial kitchen and co-working spaces, City Hall said.
“Construction is expected to commence towards the end of 2017 to early 2018, with the centre slated to open in 2019.
“The project has received $7.24 million of funding from the Victorian Government, with the rest to be funded by the City of Greater Geelong.”
City Hall director Linda Quinn said the centre reflected “the incredible growth we’ve continued to see in Armstrong Creek”.
“It’s an exciting and much needed project for families and the greater community of Armstrong Creek.”
The Armstrong Creek facility would open around the same time as a new $5.5 million “Highton Enhanced Children’s Centre”, the City said.
“Robust” consultations on the Highton centre included an information session with 100 residents at Bellaire Primary School last month and hundreds more “engaging online”.
“While the plans and design were warmly received, the session also heard community concerns about traffic and parking,” the City said.
“The centre will offer 43 new off street parking spaces to cater to staff and parents. A traffic engineer has also been engaged to review the impact of the site on Belle Vue Avenue and to mitigate the increased traffic to the area.”
City Hall plans to build the centre on “underutilised land” behind Bellaire Primary School.
The facility would “provide a connection between early years and primary school for children in the community”.
“Construction is expected to begin in January 2018 and be completed in November 2018.
“The project is progressing through the design stage, and community feedback will be taken on board,” the City said.