14 Mar 2017 The Free Press, Kilmore, VIC (General News) THE brand new Wallan Family and Childrens Centre was officially opened on Thursday, March 2. The early learning centre is a state of the art facility co-located on the site of the Wallan Primary School. The centre includes two kindergarten rooms, three Maternal and Child Health consulting rooms with adjoining waiting areas, specialist consulting rooms, a flexible multipurpose area and outdoor play space. The $3.7 million project received $1.7 million through the state governments Growing Suburbs Fund and $2 million through the Childrens Facilities Capital Program. The centres development is vital and timely for the Mitchell Shire, which is expected to double in population by 2031. The facility will significantly improve the accessibility of health services for families and assist children when they make the transition from kindergarten to prep. Member for Northern Victoria, Jaclyn Symes, Member for Yan Yean, Danielle Green, Mitchell Shire Mayor Rhonda Sanderson, Cr Cornish and representatives from council, project builders and architects as well as Wallan Primary School leading teacher Hayley Sanders and school captains Jordan Scicluna and Tatum Jones were on hand to officially open the first class learning facility. As a mother of young children I know what families are looking for in an early learning centre and the Wallan Family and Childrens Centre ticks all the right boxes, Ms Symes said. The Wallan Family and Childrens Centre will provide much needed support for early learning centres across a rapidly growing Mitchell Shire. Today is all about the children, Ms Green said. Im excited to see an increase in better kindergartens and childcare facilities for the hundreds of young families building their lives in Wallan. Through the Growing Suburbs Fund we are delivering important community projects across Mitchell Shire and right across our growing outer suburbs. The location of the Wallan Family and Childrens Centre encourages a strong relationship between the primary school and pre-school community and also provides families with easy access to community services. Special thanks were forwarded to Mitchell Shire staff Gary Nugent and Bec Glynn for all their hard work over an extended period of time. It has been very challenging and exciting to see the project come to fruition. It is a great example of departments working together. Council project managed the build in partnership with the school and with the state government assistance it has freed up valuable rates for funding for other projects, Mayor Sanderson said. Caption Text: Its official: (from left) Mayor Rhonda Sanderson, WPS captain Tatum Jones, Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes, Member for Yan Yean Danielle Green and WPS school captain Tatum Jones unveil the official plaque at the Wallan Family and Childrens Centre. All about the kids: celebrating the opening of the new Wallan Family and Childrens Centre with the most important people it involves, the pre-school children at the centre, were (from left) Wallan Primary School captain Jordan Scicluna, Member for Yan Yean Danielle Green, Mayor Rhonda Sanderson, Cr Bob Cornish, Wallan Primary school Captain Tatum Jones and Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes. Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.