STAFF and parents at Denman Children’s Centre are elated by the news they have received $470,000 to extend their facilities, while the wider Denman community is thrilled to have gained funding for six other projects.
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DCC nominated supervisor Nicole McKenzie has worked at the centre since 2002 and says the funding means a whole new pre-school room.
“It’s absolutely a dream come true,” she said.
“We’ve worked so hard for 10 years to fundraise and to finally get it over the line is so rewarding.”
The grants are thanks to the Ridgelands Community Fund, part of Ridgelands Coal Resources, and were announced last Friday, as part of 27 community projects bestowed a collective $4.5 million in the second phase of the $5 million dispersal (related articles below).
Denman Children’s Centre (DCC) opened in 1983 and is currently licensed for 39 children aged six weeks to school age.
“We’ll be focusing on an extension which will mean 30 more places for kids aged three- and a-half to six in a pre-school room,” Mrs McKenzie said.
“We’ve worked really hard to establish our facilities and garden, we love our location and surrounds and we pride ourselves on our connection with nature, extending here makes sense.”
Denman Pony Club president Karen Irwin has welcomed the $341,000 grant for the club’s new canteen project with open arms.
“It’s amazing to get this sort of funding, pony club is children, that’s who it benefits,” Mrs Irwin said.
“We’d like to hook in fairly quickly and move forward, the old building is extremely old, very small and not vermin proof.
“It’s so exciting, we’ve been trying to build our own funds over a number of years and to have this is fantastic.”
The Ridgelands fund has also given $15,000 to the Zone 7 Pony Club Camp which Mrs Irwin said would help the kids receive quality tuition from top instructors.
“We have beautiful grounds, we’re so lucky and we always receive compliments, having a new canteen will complement that and it’s what we’ve been aiming for.”
Other projects to receive funds include the Denman Memorial Hall, $400,000; the Denman main street masterplan, $400,000; the Denman Hospital staff accommodation, $216,000; Denman and District Heritage Village expansion, $155,331; and the Denman District and Development Association’s Denman News, $40,114.
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