Armstrong Creek East Community Hub opens

THE largest integrated child and community centre in Greater Geelong is now open, and more than a dozen community groups have already signed up.

The new Armstrong Creek East Community Hub will host fitness, dance, faith, youth, writing and new parent groups in the flexible 2,800-sqm facility, which is about a third larger than any of the hubs the city has previously built.

The hub on Central Boulevard was jointly funded by the state government ($7.24 million) and the City of Greater Geelong ($8 million).

The hub features a 191-place long day care centre and kindergarten, operated by Bestchance Child Family Care.

It also includes 200 square metres of maternal and child health services, a multi-purpose playroom with fenced playground (licensable space), an art exhibition display area, and three 20 sqm consult rooms with adjoining waiting areas.

After an expressions of interest process, up to 19 community groups and organisations will offer ongoing activities in the hub from May.

There are nine flexible areas for the groups to use, including meeting spaces, multi-purpose rooms and a playroom.

South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman, Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney and Geelong mayor Bruce Harwood officially opened the hub last week.

Mr Harwood said he was particularly impressed with the hands-on elements in the day care and kindergarten facilities.

“The sand pits, the wooden block trucks, and things like that… I loved seeing the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle – which I think I’ve read a thousand times, I could almost recite it to you – but it just goes to show we’re still very mindful that young people need to learn the basics from the ground up first, and this building really encapsulates that.

“I think it’s an incredible result for the community.”

Mr Cheeseman said he was “gobsmacked” by all the facilities he saw while touring the building.

“It’s actually much, much bigger inside than what I thought from the outside. It’s been amazingly well designed by the architects and it’s been amazingly well built by your builders.

“This is a terrific example of governments working in partnership together to deliver the services that growing communities need.”