Childcare centre triumphantly announces open day after
The Brisbane childcare centre with an onsite barista giving parents a complimentary morning coffee has announced its open date, after fire nearly stopped it happening at all.
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As fire tore though a Brisbane’s childcare centre, a newly enrolled family was left in disbelief.
Nina Ellingsen and her family live around the corner from Pod Early School’s new Newmarket location on Enoggera Rd and they were excited two-year-old Jack would be attending when it opened in January.
However as a a blaze engulfed part of the centre, which was under construction, on September 24 their hearts sank.
“The kids and I could see and smell the smoke when we woke up as we live around the corner,” Mrs Ellingsen said.
“My husband got home from Crossfit at 6am and said, ‘I just drove past Pod Early School and I think it has been on fire’.
“At that time of the morning I was in complete shock and disbelief.”
The centre — based around the site’s existing 113-year-old former police station — was under construction when it was allegedly set alight.
Police investigations into the suspected arson are ongoing.
“It’s still hard to comprehend that someone could do such a thing,” Mrs Ellingsen said.
“Of course, I felt devastated for the Pod team after all of the hard work that has gone into preserving the heritage building and creating such a beautiful centre.”
Mrs Ellingsen said she had picked the centre, before it was even constructed, after visiting the centre’s sister site at Mt Gravatt.
“(Our daughter) Macie (5) starts prep at Newmarket State School next year.
“I saw the hoarding pop up for Pod Early School Newmarket and initially enquired due to the convenience of having side by side drop-offs and pick-ups for school and daycare.
“When we did a site visit at Mt Gravatt, my husband and I knew instantly that we needed to enroll Jack.”
Moving away from a stock-standard approach to early learning, the modernised method of education will see children aged 0-5 participate in immersive education experiences.
Children will be exposed to science, mathematics, music, yoga, dance, language and cooking classes to help enrich their learning experiences whilst in care.
However despite the blaze and the need for a partial re-design of the centre, director of operations Lauren Fraser announced the centre would welcome families from February 2021.
“Our build for the Newmarket centre is moving along beautifully,” Ms Fraser said.
“We are very much looking forward to our February opening date.
“School students return to school on the 25th of January, so we will follow very closely after that.
“The planning team at the Brisbane City Council reviewed and approved our updated development application in record time, and we are forging ahead to reach building completion.
“Our playscape build commenced this week, and it’s great to see all the finishing touches coming together inside the centre.”
Ms Fraser said the centre had already accepted almost 100 enrolments.
“There is currently still availability on each day across each room, but judging by our success at our Mount Gravatt centre I think these positions will be filled very quickly.”
She said an experienced team of educators had already been selected for the centre which would provide a rich learning environment in a calm, loving and nurturing setting as well as an impressive menu based off fresh, whole foods.
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