Nationals Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke has praised the team behind the renovated Gundagai Preschool Kindergarten, hailing the opening of stage one of the new-look facilities as the start of an exciting era for early childhood education for the region.
Ms Cooke said the completion of the new building has been years in the making, with the original 50-year-old building no longer fit-for-purpose.
"It's so exciting to see this long-awaited project up and running, with students now well and truly settled-in and thriving in the new building," Ms Cooke said.
Ms Cooke said the new infrastructure aims to provide a modern and stimulating learning environment for young learners, including state-of-the-art facilities, enhanced play areas, and improved amenities designed to foster creativity, learning, and social development.
Ms Cooke said the project has been made possible with the help of a $1.5 million investment from the previous NSW Nationals Government.
"Investing in our children's education is an investment in the future. These upgrades will ensure that our preschoolers have access to high-quality early childhood education in a welcoming environment," Ms Cooke said.
"I'm so proud to have been part of a government that invested heavily in the future of the regions; this project is a true testament to what can be achieved when communities come together with a shared goal," she said.
Preschool Director Stacey Smith said the new building forms stage one of a larger project that, when complete, will see the creation of additional play and education areas.
"Stage two will consist of two playrooms that open out to a large undercover verandah, a dedicated child-friendly kitchen and dining area, roadside landscaping, storage space, and a welcoming foyer," Ms Smith said.
"When fully operational, the stage one and two builds will provide the community with 56 more student places, enabling the early childhood educational needs of the Gundagai district to be better met," she said.
