Keep kinder promise call

By Casey Neill
A BROKEN promise has Cockatoo residents rallying to save the McBride Street kinder.
Cockatoo Township Committee’s Dot Griffin said she was “disappointed and disillusioned” with the Cardinia Shire Council’s decision to knock it down, and is calling on locals to demand its reinstatement.
“The township committee were not involved nor did they know that the shire would not honour its commitment to reinstate the kinder and make it available for community use,” Ms Griffin said.
But Cardinia Shire Council’s general manager of community wellbeing Fiona Hodges said demolishing the building was a key component of its plan “to deliver improved facilities and services for the people of Cockatoo”.
“Council has been meeting with the township committee on a regular basis to explain the decision to demolish the building and the reasons behind the process,” she said.
“We will continue to work with the committee and the Cockatoo community to ensure the best outcome for all parties concerned.”
Ms Hodges said an Ash Wednesday memorial was one suggestion for the site.
“We will take all proposals on board as part of the community engagement process,” she said.
She vowed to inform residents about how they could provide feedback “on an appropriate open space project that will benefit the Cockatoo community”.
But the Cockatoo Township Group has created street banners, launched a petition, and is urging locals to email and call the shire to object to the demolition.
The kindergarten was built in April 1976. It was to host a committee meeting on 16 February 1983, when the Ash Wednesday bushfires swept through the town.
Teacher Iola Tilley, her husband, and assistant teacher Ina Jamieson were inside when the blaze started. More than 300 people soon joined them.
Three men climbed onto the asphalt roof and spent the night hosing it down to stop it from melting or catching alight.
All survived, but the roof suffered significant damage.
“The leaks continued for the next 22 years with kinder often being cancelled after heavy rains with equipment and carpet ruined or very wet,” Ms Griffin said.
The committee moved the preschool to the Bailey Road kindergarten during repairs, but eventually moved there permanently.
Ms Griffin said vandals soon targeted the vacant building while the community fought to have the kinder repaired and reinstated, or a community link established in its place.
She said the council this April announced it would set up a community hub in the Bailey Road takeaway building, despite discussions with the township group about using the kinder for that purpose.
She said the Bailey Road site was difficult to access and lacked car parking.
“The community link is a wonderful project, but one has to question why the decision to buy an unsuitable site,” she said.