Diamond Hills Preschool opens doors, boosting number of early learning places

The doors of a new preschool facility in the Victorian community of Greensborough officially opened last month, growing the number of places available to educate and care for three and four year old children. 

The contemporary facility was officially opened by Colin Brooks, the State Member for Bundoora and Minister for Development Victoria, Precincts and Creative Industries on behalf of Sonya Kilkenny, Minister for Planning and the Suburbs.

He was joined by Mayor Ben Ramcharan, Ward Councillor Richard Stockman, Councillors, the Diamond Hills Preschool volunteer committee of management, staff families and, most importantly, students for the long-awaited celebration.

The $4.5 million preschool has more than doubled in size with two classrooms allowing for the increase in three and four-year-old kinder places for local children.

Features of the new building include a community multipurpose room, kitchen, quiet library space, and large outdoor areas with undercover area, as well as a new public artwork, Tread Gently Together, designed by Bend of Island artist Tim Read, of Tread Sculptures, together with the children and families at the preschool.

“Diamond Hills Preschool has been delivering exceptional education programs for almost 40 years. The previous building was ageing and no longer met contemporary standards or increasing community demand,” the Mayor said.

“The new contemporary design provides spaces for children to explore, learn and develop their social and emotional skills through play-based learning.”

Sustainability is a core element of the new build, which has a number of features such as being ‘all electric’ which will allow staff and students to remain comfortable in all weathers.

The preschool’s volunteer committee of management, educators and families had worked closely with Council on the design, contributed funding to the build, and furnished the new centre, Blue Lake Ward Councillor Richard Stockman explained.

“As they say, it takes a village to raise a child, and the preschool community’s efforts are certainly a testament to that,” he continued.

“Diamond Hills Preschool has already taught generations of local children, and now this fantastic new building puts it in the position to provide an outstanding education for many more.”

The Diamond Hills Preschool project has been funded in partnership through the Victorian Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund ($2.9 million), Council ($1.52 million) and the Diamond Hills Preschool ($75,000).

Learn more about the preschool here. 

Image shows, from left, Cr Frances Eyre, preschool committee member Dan Woods, Bundoora MP Colin Brooks, Preschool President Dani Page, Nillumbik Mayor Ben Ramcharan and Blue Lake Ward Councillor Richard Stockman.