Wellington Inner-City Crèche Forced to Close Doors

Wellington Inner-City Crèche Forced to Close its Doors

After 14 years of providing quality childcare in the Wellington CBD, the parents of Positively Poneke Kids Inc (PPK) have sadly been forced to vote to close the centre’s doors today, 7 September.

PPK faced eviction from its current premises behind the City Gallery because its landlord, the Wellington City Council, wished to extend its gallery space.

An alternative space was secured at commercial rental, but unexpected costs associated with fit-out for the new premises made the move unsustainable for the not-for-profit centre.

‘We very much regret the decision by the Council to end our lease,’ said Bridget Rhodes, President of the PPK Parents Committee. ‘Our centre was established over a decade ago by employees of the Council.

It would now seem that the Council no longer sees fit to support provision of community-based childcare in Wellington. Yet demand for spaces is incredibly high’.

Parents explored all options before deciding to close. This decision was made with great reluctance and parents were grateful for the generosity and understanding of their prospective landlord, Ian Cassels.

There was a deep disappointment among parents regarding the lack of support from the Minister of Education and his Ministry.

‘We know that the Ministry is concerned about the increasing shortage of childcare in Wellington’, said Mrs Rhodes, ‘yet it did nothing to prevent the closure of a high quality, community-based centre, which offered care for 34 children and their families’.

Parents were frustrated with the Ministry’s paltry offer of $5000 towards the centre’s relocation – compared with almost $800,000 provided in support of the relocation of another community-based childcare facility in the Wellington region and the $300,000 already offered by the landlord.

This lack of support – and its contribution to the centre’s closure – jarred with the Government’s expressed commitment to provision of quality early childhood education.

‘What is the point of offering free childcare to three and four year olds if there is nowhere for them to go in the Wellington region?’ asked Mrs Rhodes.

The closure of PPK will exacerbate the chronic shortage of early childcare in central Wellington, with demand far outstripping supply. Many centres have closed their waitlists, and others have long waits for available spaces.

Parents and staff of PPK will be celebrating the centre’s last day. There are many Wellington families with a connection to the centre, which has added vitality and a sense of fun to the inner city for over a decade.

ENDS

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