Playcentre going into recess

Leanne Stenhouse.
Leanne Stenhouse.
Brighton/Ocean View Playcentre spokeswoman Leanne Stenhouse says the Otago Playcentre Association has decided the playcentre in John St, Ocean View, will begin a ''two-year recess'' from Friday.

The recess was necessary because fewer people were attending the centre, fewer educators were available and parents were unwilling to commit to training.

Ms Stenhouse said she was ''sad'' that tomorrow would be the last day the centre would be open before the recess began.

''The community doesn't seem to want to support it. It's been fighting for a long time - there's not enough people to get enough funding to keep it going.''

In the 30 years the playcentre had been open, attendance rates had fluctuated, she said.

''The last few years have been a struggle. This year we started with three families and then we had a couple leave, and it's just not viable.''

The association would stop the recess if five parents or caregivers were willing to form a parent council but Ms Stenhouse doubted it would happen.

''The way society is most people can't put the work in.''

She had created the Brighton Ocean View Family facebook for families to network.

By early next year, she hoped a weekly play group would be held at the new Brighton Surf Club rooms.

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