Kindy shortfall being met

The Central Otago Kindergarten Association is meeting a shortfall in funding so work can begin immediately on the new Maniototo Kindergarten.

"We're absolutely thrilled and this shows their faith and commitment to early childhood education in this area," kindergarten establishment committee chairwoman Geraldine Duncan, of Gimmerburn, said.

The kindergarten will be based in a relocatable building in the grounds of the Maniototo Area School in Ranfurly and will open in March. Fundraising has been under way for two years and the cost of the project will be about $619,000. The committee has raised almost $60,000, the Otago Community Trust has given $75,000 and the association had earlier allocated $200,000 to the project.

A recent application for funds from the Lottery Communities Facilities Fund was unsuccessful, but the kindergarten association met this week and board members voted unanimously to fund the shortfall from reserves so work could begin, president Gigi Hollyer, of Queenstown, said.

She declined to reveal the amount the association was investing but said the group was "quietly confident" about the project.

"In this sort of situation we have to be fiscally prudent and it's a big call for us to cut into our reserves, but we're quietly confident about the viability of the kindergarten. It's being driven by a highly motivated and dedicated group, who make up the establishment committee."

The facility will be the seventh under the umbrella of the association, which covers a wide geographic area including the upper Clutha and Queenstown as well as Central Otago. There are two kindergartens in Alexandra and one each in Cromwell, Hawea, Frankton and Queenstown.

The Maniototo facility will open with a roll of 20 and employ two full-time and one part-time teacher. It will be licensed for 30 children aged from 2 to 6 years.

Mrs Duncan said surveys carried out showed there was an average of 115 pre-schoolers in the area. That figure had remained constant for several years.

There were two providers of early childhood education serving the area and it would be great to add a kindergarten to give another choice, she said.

The committee is continuing with its fundraising efforts, including a pig hunt planned for this weekend.

"When we started we thought we'd be lucky to raise $16,000 and to think we've raised $60,000 over two years is stunning. It's involved lots of helpful hands along the way and keeping a firm goal in mind."

- lynda.van.kempen@odt.co.nz