Wednesday, 13 September 2017
THE children and staff of Armidale’s Little Bear Cottage are looking forward to seeing their much-loved centre get a new lease of life after the managing trustees received a $12,757 grant from NSW Government’s Public Reserve Management Fund.
Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall visited the child care centre last week to make the announcement, meet the students and discuss the improvement work with staff.
Mr Marshall said he was pleased to be able to support the Trust’s application and delighted to see the funding go to paint in the interior and exterior of the centre’s main building.
“Looking after around 25 students each day places a lot of wear and tear on the walls and outside surfaces of the building,” Mr Marshall said. “Staff believe it’s been well over 12 years since the centre was last painted so it’s well over due for a lick of paint.
“The floor in the main activities room has only recently been renewed so with a new coat of paint, the students and staff will soon be enjoying a very fresh and revitalised space.”
Little Bear Cottage Director Febi Snape said the staff and parents were very excited about the grant and looking forward to brightening up the centre.
“It’s a little gloomy at the moment so we are really looking forward to this upgrade,” Ms Snape said. “The work will be done over the Christmas period when it’s not so busy and I’m sure it will all look very new and fresh when it’s finished.”
Mr Marshall said this year the Northern Tablelands had secured $1.12 million from the government’s Public Reserve Management Fund (PRMF) for projects across the region.
“It’s an unprecedented amount for our region’s public reserves and I know it will all be put to very good use to improve community spaces and facilities,” he said.
Mr Marshall said $94 million had been invested in NSW reserves trusts over the last six years to upgrade of showgrounds, the maintain community buildings, bushfire hazard reduction, weed control and building new infrastructure.