New playground at the UPCCC

A new nursery/toddler playground at the University Preschool & Child Care Centre (UPCCC) was recently opened by ANU Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt and the Centre’s Director Lynley Rees.

The new playground features recycled log steppers, mulched garden beds, bamboo forest, a vertical garden and artworks. The playground is divided into sections that encourage learning and development in a secure and safe environment, alongside other children.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt said having access to child care is one of the things that makes ANU a great place to work.

“We have made it a priority to ensure that our staff and students have great child care services on campus and we need to make sure we maintain that,” he said.

The playground reopening follows extensive remediation work that began last year in four child care centres on campus that focused on the removal of lead paint and, in the case of the UPCCC playground, removal of the entire playground.

“Doing this type of remediation work takes time and it required all of the parents’ and staff’s patience that I am very grateful for,” Professor Schmidt said at the opening.

UPCCC was the first child care centre to be established on the ANU campus in the 1960s. There are four other child care centres on Acton campus, with more than 280 children attending the centres on every-day basis.