By Goya Dmytryshchak
Parents waiting for a Newport childcare centre to open say they have been left in limbo by constant delays with some unable to return to work or having to put their children in other centres.
Nino Early Learning Adventures was originally slated to open in March this year.
However, in correspondence seen by Star Weekly, parents were told the centre would open in late April or early May.
In a subsequent letter dated June 12, the “Nino Management Team” stated the centre’s “expected opening date for July is now unachievable”.
“As you are aware, over the past months the construction (undertaken by the building owner) located at 519 Melbourne Road, Newport, has had ongoing setbacks and delays that have been challenging and out of our control but most disappointingly this has not allowed us access to the building to complete the centre’s set up for operation,” it stated.
“The building owner has not been able to connect a power supply, thus continuously delaying the possibility of finalising the build and allowing Nino Early Learning Adventures access.
“Due to these circumstances we must inform our families that we are unable to provide a confirmed date of operation.”
A Newport mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said she had since put her son in another centre. “Like many new parents, my partner and I put our child’s name down at Nino last year after being told the brand new centre would be opening in March,” she said.
“But then the opening date was pushed back to April or May, then July and now they’re saying they can’t guarantee when it’s going to open at all.
Nino spokesman Luke Agosta said the building delays were “totally out of our hands”.
“We’re not building the centre, we are the operator only, so we have absolutely no recourse other than obviously be in constant contact with the builder, the owner of the property.
“We’re desperate to get in there ourselves to meet the expectations of those parents.
“It’s imminent now … but I wouldn’t give a date.”
