08 Aug 2018 Euroa Gazette, Euroa VIC (General News) by Grace Evans EUROA Kindergarten has received $10,000 in funding through the Andrews Labor Governments latest grants. The kindergarten was one of 26 in Northern Victoria to receive funding through the Childrens Facilities Capital Program to improve outdoor play spaces, provide televisions and laptops. Jaclyn Symes (MLC, Northern Victoria) visited Euroa Kindergarten last Friday to announce the funding and was proud to be a part of helping Euroa Kindergarten finish off their unused space. It takes the pressure off the fundraising and the continual efforts to bring about improvements for this kindergarten, Ms Symes said. Being boosted by $10,000 is going to make a huge difference to kindergarten and to the efforts of the families. The kindergarten will use the funding to construct an outdoor area which is connected to one of the indoor kindergarten rooms that will be utilised as an inviting outdoor/indoor space for the kids to enjoy. There will be new fencing, shade sails, grass and vertical gardens. It will be a really inviting open space outside for the kids to go and explore and it will just add a whole other dimension to the kindergarten, Ms Symes said. Euroa kindergarten committee have been working tirelessly to receive the funding for the unused space and president Marnie Burton was thrilled to be able to finally put the plan into action. We were ecstatic to receive it and we saw that the grants were available and we knew what was wanted from that outdoor space so it was great to have it all followed through, Mrs Burton said. Its going to have a sensory wall and going to be a really great outdoor/indoor space with retractable awnings so they can use it all year round. The space will be great for Ann (kindergarten teacher) and she will have more room to do more things both indoor and outdoor. It was initial hard work by the committee over a long space of time and Mrs Burton said it was incredibly rewarding to have that determination now be put into something thats been up in the air for so long. Alongside the help of both her Secretary and Goulburn Region Pre School Association the grant application was able to all come together. Mrs Burton said its been great to go ahead and put these plans in place and to have local builder Nathan Harper on board with the project. Its really good to have someone local doing the project whose kids go through the kinder, Mrs Burton said. The money really will help to create such a great space for the kids and we know theyll love having that extra bit of play area. Deputy mayor of Strathbogie Shire John Mason said its absolutely fantastic to be able to get grants and see the state government investing in things like this in the shire. These are our young adults and you have to be able to invest in the future, he said. Nagambie Kindergarten also received $9750 in funding to help design and install a new bike track in their outdoor play space. Construction for Euroas outdoor area is set to begin at the start of September school holidays, and President Marnie Burton is hoping it will be ready for the kids to explore by the end of those two weeks. Itll be great that when the kids come back at start of term 4 theyll be able to get out there into that new space and enjoy the good weather, Mrs Burton said.