Previous articles have both challenged and posed a number of questions to the Hobsonville Land Company (HLC) and the Auckland Kindergarten Association (AKA) about the impact that Hobsonville Point will have on childcare services in the area. Today, the AKA represented by Assistant GM Peter Pablecheque and two support staff, fronted up to parents and teachers of the Hobsonville North Kindergarten. The discussions were disappointing.
In essence there are two issues 1. How to keep the kindergarten operating in some form or 2. how to manage the stampede of kids to other 'local' kindys.
Peter confirmed official notice has been given by the owners of the land (HLC) to the AKA, and that the lease will expire in Dec 2011. He said the HLC were sad, but they had no option but to terminate the lease due to the location of the kindy and the approved design plan. The only way to keep the kindy operating is to find some land and relocate the building. The AKA own the building, there are heaps of toys and playground equipment and even some money in the kindy's bank, thanks to the years of support from previous parents and generous businesses donations. Unfortunately, the land is the big stumbling block.
The HLC have allocated a piece of land for a future 'day-care centre' approximately 130 meters North East of the current kindy location. However, the land will be put on the open market in 2013 ($1 Mil + for the land alone) for tenders to purchase and build a day-care centre. The AKA will not be submitting a tender.
It was pointed out that the Te Kohange Reo, which is also currently located on Hobsonville Point land, has been incorporated into the design plan i.e. the land will not be put on the open market. An obvious line of questioning to the HLC is why? Can the kindy be co-located?
It was also mentioned the Air Force have an old disused ex-kindy, that could provide the land necessary to keep the kindy operating. In fact, the idea was raised with the AKA over a year ago and the response at the time is it would be to close to other kindys. When pushed, Peter said he was looking at other land options and in fact had 'called someone at the North Shore council this week'.
Assuming land could not be found, the discussions turned to the AKA plan with respect to managing the stampede of kids to one of the 3 surrounding kindergartens. Peter attempted to reassure parents that the kindy will continue to operate until the lease expiry date of Dec 2011 - while kids were still attending. Parents and a committee member from the Hobsonville kindy were extremely interested in the AKA plans to reallocate and manage kids into one of the three available kindys. The AKA response was that they would not know until the end of next year, when parents started applying for these kindys! In a classic case of the tail wagging the dog, there was no plan, but a commitment to react to events in a year's time...
This is how I explained it to the AKA. In the area 4 kindergartens have healthy roles. If one shuts, more pressure will be placed on the other 3. And, in the next year 80+ houses will be built and sold by the HLC. The demand is increasing, and the supply is shrinking. Despite this simple explanation, the AKA insisted you could not plan because the numbers fluctuate - 45 kids in a kindy now may not be 45 wanting to relocate in a years time. Which is true in terms of exact numbers, but given the above argument the demand must increase.
What this means is a lack of leadership in (AKA) planning and will create an early exodus of kids from the Hobsonville North kindy, as parents try to get a jump and assure themselves a place at another kindy before Dec 2011. The AKA will be adding to the problems as the kindy will be forced to close early due to the diminishing rolls, leaving even more on waiting lists.
Peter did point out that (unfortunately) preschool was not a legal requirement. It struck me that unless land could be found, the likely outcomes for parents in the Hobsonville Point community and surrounds are using more expensive day care options, or long waits and a fleeting kindy-exposure before starting school.
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