‘People don’t move to Stanwell Park for the nightlife’, Andy Evans told Wollongong City Council. Photo: Ben McNamara, DPE.
Stanwell Park residents have called for Wollongong City Council to defer the tender process for their suburb’s beloved day care centre.
Resident Andy Evans told the council residents feared the same characteristics that made their day care so special would make it less likely to be a successful applicant through the tender process.
“They’re not professional tender writers; they’re not a big chain,” Mr Evans told the council.
“They’re a small bush kinder that reflects our community’s values.
“People don’t come to Stanwell Park for the nightlife. We live here because we love the outdoors, getting out in the national park and the sea.
“The kids are taken out into the national park twice a week, they learn about bush regeneration and have a strong Indigenous program.”
Mr Evans said the suburb had lost many essential services over the past decade, such as a post office, general store, petrol station and kiosk.
The Stanwell Park Kiosk went to tender several years ago, and has since shut down, which Mr Evans said further soured the community on the process.
“That tender was awarded to a large catering company who made little to no effort with the community and catered mostly for tourists,” Mr Evans said.
“Under the previous owners it had been the epicentre of the community.
“This upcoming tender has sparked a lot of fear among parents that the centre will be overtaken by a large, faceless company that favours profits and has no connection with the community.
“The staff who work there are there because they love the ethos – if the service was to change hands there would be a staff shortage.”
Mr Evans said parents were keen to help the current owners establish as a not-for-profit in the hopes they could continue to run the service.
The tender process, however, is a legal requirement; the council cannot avoid it.
Wollongong Lord Mayor Tania Brown told Mr Evans the council would get advice on what options might be available for the community.
