A red-letter day is approaching for Clutha Valley pre-school education.
The Clutha Valley Playcentre will be officially opened on Friday, October 30, marking the end of a protracted effort by local parents.
Spokeswoman Suzie Roy said the opening was symbolic because it was the culmination of such a lot of hard work by members of the the community.
The playcentre group tried for years to get Government funding for a new building to replace its cramped environment and eventually secured a promise from then Education Minister Trevor Mallard, but the amount of money promised was more than officials decided to release.
The group then began urgent negotiations with the Ministry of Education to get enough cashto pay for a relocatable building to be brought to the site next to the new primary school at Clydevale.
Mrs Roy said there were times when the group thought it would never get a new playcentre, but it was thrilled with the new facility, which has been operating since March this year.
This month's official celebration was more a way of saying thanks to the wider community for their support.
Final landscaping and other last-minute work had also recently been finished in time for the occasion, Mrs Roy said.
Families throughout the district are invited to an open day from 10am, with the official opening at 1.30pm, followed by afternoon tea.
