500 in say on Barwon Heads kinder

By Michelle Herbison
MORE than 500 residents have made submissions on council plans for a new Barwon Heads kindergarten, according to a councillor.
Andy Richards labelled council’s consultation process for the proposed Barwon Heads’ early learning centre a success after submissions closed last week.
Council accepted the submissions concurrently with public comment on a master plan for the town’s Village Park to include the kindergarten.
Residents are split over the plan, with objectors concerned the centre would take up too much of the park.
The proposal includes preschool, maternal and child health and multi-purpose rooms with playgrounds and provision for an external storeroom.
The Independent reported in October that Barwon Heads’ existing kinder would be unable to meet demand for enrolments until the new facility was built by 2014.
A Federal Government increase in four-year-old kinder hours from 10 to 15 a week next year would put further strain on the existing Clifford Pde site.
Councillors voted in February to proceed with the $3.7 million Village Park kinder plan instead of building on an alternative site next to the town’s community garden on Barwon Heads Rd.
Cr Richards said council officers would read through the submissions over the next fortnight.
“Considering we only got 370 submissions to the Barwon Heads structure plan process, I think this process has gone well. Residents have been able to have their say.”
Barwon Heads kindergarten futures committee’s Anissa Yttrup said the urgency for a new kinder had been “lost” amid argument over the preferred site.
Ms Yttrup said the Village Park plan had “a lot of positive support”.
The kinder would occupy only one per cent of the park, she said.
The location would also be central, with less passing traffic and proximity to established walking tracks and a school crossing.
Save the Village Park’s Karyn Howie said her group had received a lot of interest from residents “wanting to save the integrity of the park”.
Ms Howie said many residents were upset council added the kindergarten to the park’s master plan “without consulting anyone” then “rushed” the process.
“It was totally out of leftfield from the previous understanding of how this park would operate.”