Weekday mornings and afternoons spent at Yoorami Children's Centre's Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) in Werrington are better than ever thanks to a spruce up of the building.
The Centre's expansive OSHC room, which caters for young people aged 5 to 12, has undergone a major upgrade in recent weeks and the new features are being enjoyed by young people who attend before and after school care.
Penrith Mayor Tricia Hitchen commended Penrith City Council and the Children's Services team on the upgrade and said she was pleased to see improvements taking place across the organisation's childcare centres, which many families rely on.
"Weekdays can be frantic and fast-paced for families so I am thrilled Council has created a more contemporary space at Yoorami Children's Centre where young people can sit and eat breakfast of a morning and then unwind after school," Cr Hitchen said.
"With more than 4,000 children and young people enrolled in Council's 44 childcare centres it's critical that we continue to support our community members by rolling out these upgrades to meet modern-day standards and offer welcoming spaces for children and young people of all ages," she said.
Part of the Yoorami OSHC refurbishment saw existing walls removed to accommodate a brand-new and much larger kitchen, while the bathrooms have been modernised and now include accessible bathroom facilities with a shower.
The building's play and preparation areas, storage room, and air conditioning systems have all been updated, and the open-plan room has been repainted and fitted with contemporary flooring and new security screens.
Outside, the access ramp at the rear of the building has been improved along with the covered veranda where young people get to rest and unwind. This overlooks fresh gardens and new outdoor play equipment.
Costing just over $300,000, the refurbishment was completed by a local, family-owned construction company and was funded through Council's Asset Renewal Program in partnership with the Children's Services department.
"Council and Children's Services are working together to implement a comprehensive Building Asset Renewal project which will see all childcare centres upgraded over time, to ensure all our facilities are contemporary and fit for purpose," Cr Hitchen continued.
"I am excited to share that we are on track to complete two major building upgrades in the 2022-2023 financial year, at Cook Parade Children's Centre in St Clair and Kids Place Children's Centre in Emu Plains," she said.
Council will also deliver minor upgrades at three more childcare centres across the Penrith Local Government area during this time.
To find out more about our Children's Services, visit https://www.penrithcitychildcare.com.au/
