Compared with many other early childhood education centres around Otago, East Taieri Preschool is still a spring chicken.
The institution will celebrate its 40th anniversary on Friday next week, and despite it being nowhere near as old as some of the early childhood education centres around Dunedin, 40 years was definitely a milestone worth celebrating, East Taieri Preschool executive committee member Jacqui Lawson said.
''We do like to celebrate it each time.
''It's a bit of a pat on the back for a community-run centre to be still going strong as ever - to still be going after 40 years run by parents.
''It celebrates the fact that they've done a very good job to make such a great centre.
''People are still knocking on the door to get in here.''
The event was also a great opportunity for present pupils to learn about the history of the centre, Mrs Lawson said.
''The teachers are certainly telling the kids about it. They're looking through old photos and putting up some boards for the kids to look at and see what the centre looked like when it first started, and how things have changed.
''We're only a young preschool but we've already had two generations go through.
''They [the present pupils] are a part of a heritage of children that have come through - every one of them is special.
''This is a good learning opportunity for the children.''
It would also be a good opportunity for former pupils to come through the centre and see how much it had changed she said.
There had been some major upgrades inside the centre in recent years, and a major upgrade was planned for the outside in the next 18 months.
Mrs Lawson expected about 40 past and present pupils, teachers and committee members to attend the celebrations, which would include a morning tea; a tree planting to officially commemorate the anniversary; and a celebratory dinner with families of the centre.
