Parklands Community Preschool has finally secured its stake in the Mount Penang Parklands after obtaining a 20-year lease.
In July 2022, Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch, along with NSW Labor Leader (now Premier), Chris Minns, called upon the then-NSW Government to end its efforts to increase the rent on the preschool or take the lease to market.
Under the Government’s original plans, many members of the preschool’s community were concerned about their ability to remain viable and keep the doors open.
The preschool is a not-for-profit community-run service in the Mount Penang Parklands and has served Kariong and the surrounding area for nearly 40 years.
The fee-free service is one of only three community-based preschools left in the southern end of the Central Coast.
It has 96 children enrolled and about the same number of families.
Seventeen highly-trained educators are employed by the service, many of whom have worked there for decades and have taught generations of local children.
Tesch joined the preschool’s community to celebrate the recent announcement.
“This new contract recognises the significant contribution of the Parklands Community Preschool and its long history of educating generations of families right across the Kariong community,” she said.
“This will mean the preschool is embedded as a cornerstone in the future of the Mount Penang Parklands.
“Education is the greatest gift we can give our children and the Labor Government is determined to (ensure the) community continues to be able to access early childhood education.
“We also want to thank the many wonderful people who work (at the preschool), community members and the parents who have worked really hard to get to this outcome.”
Director Phoebe Wilby thanked Tesch and her team for their “unwavering support”.
“We are also thankful to the Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation for supporting the preschool in reaching this wonderful outcome,” Wilby said.
“This is an exciting time for the Parklands Community Preschool and we look forward to being here in the community for years to come.”
Source:
Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch