All 380 government preschools across South Australia are starting to engage local tradespeople to complete priority maintenance work, as part of a $7.6 million stimulus package in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The package, which has delivered a $20,000 grant to every government preschool in the state, is designed specifically to deliver improvements to preschool sites while supporting local jobs and businesses to recover from the economic impact of the coronavirus.
The preschool grants are in addition to $25 million worth of maintenance work that has been fast-tracked at 116 schools, creating a bumper maintenance package set to support tradespeople across the state.
Education Minister John Gardner said the investment provides a timely stimulus for many local businesses.
“This $32 investment delivers long-awaited works for our schools and preschools and provides an important economic stimulus at a time when our tradespeople are crying out for work,” said Minister Gardner.
“We have specifically designed the preschool grants to be used at a local level so that the money goes to engaging the small to medium businesses that have taken a big hit from the coronavirus.
“It is great to see St Helen’s Park Kindergarten, for example, engaging a local tradesperson to deliver a project that may otherwise not have been able to be delivered.”
St Helen’s Park Kindergarten in Prospect has engaged a local landscaping business to replace the irrigation system, with leftover funds to be used to install permanent rubber soft-fall in some play areas.
“We are very pleased to receive the grant that supports local business after the impact of Covid-19,” said Annette Brown, Director of St Helen’s Park Kindergarten.
“Peter from Yardstick has been a valued community member, who donated much of his time to the kindy when both his girls were enrolled here, and it is wonderful that we can implement infrastructure that benefits not only the kindergarten but also the local economy.
“Our irrigation system will ensure that our outdoor learning environment will continue to grow and flourish for years to come.”
