The Lismore App published a story on April 22 about the East Lismore Community Preschool needing to raise funds so it can rebuild its flood-damaged preschool.

Preschool Director Sonya McPherson said the plans were drawn up, the development application was approved, and the NSW government fully funded the preschool.

The problem started when work could not start on time due to the amount of reconstruction work Lismore was going through. As time went by, the costs of building the preschool began to escalate. The NSW Government funding no longer covered the cost of the rebuild.

It was at this point that Sonya went to the media to ask the community for donations so the project can begin.

The NSW Department of Education, the regulator of early childhood education and care, awarded the preschool $5,210,902 under the 2022-23 Start Strong Capital Works Grants Program’s Crisis Fund to build a new preschool to cater for 50 children per day. 

This grant award, along with a grant offered to another crisis-impacted service, are the two largest amounts to be awarded under the program in its 10 years of operation.

A shortfall in funding was not identified until after responses to the tender were received.

The program terms and conditions and guidelines state the approved provider is responsible for funding any overruns and/or funding shortfalls that arise.

A spokesperson for the NSW Department of Education told the Lismore App, “We appreciate the role East Lismore Community Preschool plays in providing early childhood education and the resilience the community has shown recovering from the recent unprecedented flood events.

“We are working closely with the service to identify solutions so the new preschool project can proceed.”

The East Lismore Community Preschool has been operating out of temporary premises on the school grounds of Wyrallah Road Public School since the floods. Sonya said, “The children just want to go back to our old preschool. That is impossible but we can get them into a new building on our old site – they deserve and need to have a forever home."

(The approved DA of the East Lismore Community Preschool with a new footbridge leading to Wade Park in East Lismore)

At the moment, the preschool provides half the places it used to while in the temporary building.

Between Sonya, Bennetts Construction, the NSW Department of Education and the community, it feels like the rebuilding of the East Lismore Community Preschool will happen, it is just a matter of time.

If people wish to make a donation, the Preschool’s building fund bank account is BSB 082-707 Account Number 24-222-7400 Account name: East Lismore Community Preschool. 

For more information about the project and how you can help, contact Sonya McPherson on 0429 107 762 or email [email protected].