A HISTORY OF LOWOOD KINDERGARTEN

A Dream Come True

 

Lowood Kindy began operating 2 mornings a week as a contract centre with C & K in early 1963 with 24 children enrolled.  The Kindy’s first home was a rented church hall, which we had to share with the church and other associations within the community.  This arrangement made life a little difficult for both the parents and teachers, as all the equipment had to be packed away each day and there was no fenced playground.

 

Fortunately some years later a vacant hall became available and in 1980 Lowood Kindy moved into it’s 2nd home, making life much easier for everyone involved and the children had a well set up playground.  Kindy was at this stage operating 4 mornings a week and had 40 children enrolled.  This arrangement lasted 4 years.

 

At this stage the Kindy was 22 years old and over the years the committee’s had worked very hard and saved $10,000.  This money was set aside in the hope of one day owing their own building and as luck would have it Wivenhoe Dam was near completion and some of the demountable homes, which were used by the workers, became available for sale.  With alot of help and persuasion from Deputy Premier the “Honourable Bill Gunn” the Kindy’s dream became a reality when they purchased a building for $2,000.  All the committee had to do was move the building from Wivenhoe to Lowood.  Esk Shire Council leased the block of ground the building now stands on to the Lowood Kindy, for something like a $1.00 per year, which was much appreciated by all concerned.  With a lot of help and hard work from our local community, council, parents (past & present), local business people and tradesman our building arrived and was set up including the original fence and garage that had also come with the building from Wivenhoe, in December 1984.  Our doors opened only 2 months later in early 1985.

 

Since 1985 our building has had many changes, extensions, painting, new fences and repairs all to comply with C & K regulations, and at along last after 31 years we became fully affiliated with C & K in 1994.  In 2004 we began operating 4 full days & in 2009 the Kindy is operating 5 full days a week.  2 Group on a 5 day fortnight.