Children at Diamond Hills Preschool have been excitedly watching the arrival of diggers, concrete mixers and other heavy machinery as work starts on their new $3.69 million preschool building.
The number of places at the preschool in Greensborough will increase from 80 to 120 once the new building is completed early next year.
The preschool will not close and continue to run its normal programs uninterrupted in its current building while the new building is built next door on the former car park.
The new preschool will include two classrooms, interview and consulting rooms, staff and resource rooms, landscaping and new parking.
The Victorian Government has contributed $2.9 million for the build through the Growing Suburbs Fund. Council will be contributing $700,000, while the preschool, which is overseen by a committee of community volunteers, will provide $75,000.
Mayor Ben Ramcharan said the preschool was first built in 1986 and was in urgent need of updating.
"Early years education is vital for our children. With the expansion of funded three and four year old kinder, Diamond Hills Preschool needs to be upgraded in order to provide the space for the necessary programs and places," Cr Ramcharan said.
Diamond Hills Preschool President Dani Page said the committee and teaching staff were excited to see the project underway.
"This next chapter will be amazing for our future families and provide a brand new facility that will cater for the modern preschool program and continue to help us service the local and broader community."
