01 Feb 2018 Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Wangaratta VIC (General News) CHILTERN families with young children can now participate in quality childrens programs with the opening of the new Chiltern Early Years Hub. Jaclyn Symes (MLC, Northern Victoria) on Monday officially opened the new $319,400 facility that for the first time gives Chiltern families long day care for children aged from six weeks to four years. The hub operates from the Chiltern Community Centre, which has been refurbished and transformed and extended. It is integrated with the existing Chiltern Kindergarten, which allows that program to expand both available hours and days. The two facilities will have capacity for 66 children. The new facility includes two children rooms, a sleep room, laundry, child and adult toilets and disabled facilities. Ms Symes said the government had provided $238,897 to help deliver the new kinder, with funding also coming from the service itself and Indigo council and Albury Wodonga Community College contributed $65,500. The government is delivering unprecedented investment in early childhood services in Northern Victoria to help our kids and their families access better quality programs and facilities, Ms Symes said. As a mother of young children I know how vital childcare services in country towns are if there are no childcare options (then) working parents are held back and potential new families will move to other towns instead. Were proud to be boosting early childhood services in Chiltern because we know how important the early years are in setting our kids up for school and the rest of their lives. Indigo mayor Jenny OConnor said Chiltern had seen many changes in its history. She said the community had embraced changes in the Chiltern placemaking and structure plan to position itself for economic and population growth and create a connected and resilient community. Our hope for the future is to see the formation of a community hub, a meeting place to bring together community groups and to co-locate services such as library, maternal and child health, visitor information, and council customer transaction services, the mayor said. Cr OConnor said the Early Years Hub would attract and retain young families in Chiltern. The building retains the original facade and its link to Chilterns past, even as it provides for the care and wellbeing of the children and families who will ensure Chilterns future, she said. So today we open a new page in the history of this charming building, of this historic town, and of its vibrant community. Caption Text: RED LETTER DAY: Jaclyn Symes (centre) with Indigo deputy mayor Sophie Price (right) and young helper Amity Flynn watched by Cathy McGowan, mayor Jenny OConnor, Chiltern councillor Barb Murdoch and Chiltern Tourism and Developments Kevin Mayhew opened the Chiltern Early Years Hub on Monday. Amity is the daughter of Indigo Shire project delivery officer Adam Flynn.Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.