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26 SEPTEMBER, 2023
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Early years achievers The Northern Schools Early Years Cluster (NSEYC) has been nominated as a finalist for three 2023 Victorian Early Years Awards. The NSEYC, a not-for-profit early years management organisation, is nominated for the Improving Access and Participation in Early Learning Award, for its fast-tracking of 15 hours of kindergarten for children at risk. This involves delivering 15-hours of funded kindergarten for three-year-olds across each of its 15 kindergarten services, including Bethal and Meadows primary school kindergartens, Broadmeadows Preschool, Dallas, Upfield and Holy Child kindergartens. NSEYC chief executive Sigi Hyett said she and the whole team are proud to be able to provide high quality care for children of Melbourne’s north despite being a lower socioeconomic area. “We’re absolutely delighted to be nominated for three awards, but it’s about the children,” she said. Lochman, 3 of Broadmeadows Preschool is one of many young children enjoying 15 hours of care each week. (Damjan Janevski) 360006_02
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Mayor’s underpass scare Calls for upgrades to the “dangerous” Broadmeadows station underpass have become more urgent in the wake of an incident involving Hume mayor Joseph Haweil. Mr Haweil said he had a terrifying experience while walking through the underpass, where he was shoved up against the wall, causing him to drop his phone and be left in a state of shock. “Luckily I wasn’t hurt, but my experiences are probably like that of very many others who come through this station,” he told channel 7. “It’s not the best. “The dark underpass doesn’t lend to a good
user experience. The station is well in need of redevelopment.” Both the council and state opposition have called for funding to make the station safer. Cr Haweil and he is hopeful for change in the not too distant future, however some residents are getting tired of waiting. “They’ve been going to update the station for years,” said local Susan Sammut. “It just continues to deteriorate as each year passes and there is nothing being done about it,” she said. Craigieburn local Jean Beriki also has concerns about the underpass, labelling it “dangerous, dark, and dirty”. “It’s a yucky spot, always has been.”
Hume council maintains the station doesn’t require a huge fix and little improvements would make a big difference to people’s safety and comfort while commuting through Broadmeadows station. A spokesperson from the Department of Transport and Planning says that the safety of everyone who uses public transport is always top priority, and that CCTV cameras installed in the underpass are helping to keep the station safe. “We delivered works in 2020 to upgrade Broadmeadows Station including a redesigned waiting area, better signage and information displays and improved CCTV and lighting across the station,” they said.
“Broadmeadows is the gateway to Melbourne’s north and locals deserve a station that is modern and accessible. Broadmeadows station is earmarked to become a superhub as part of the Suburban Rail Loop project, however no timeline has been released for the work to occur. It will become one of the first train stations in Melbourne that will have trains departing in four different directions providing commuters with direct connections to employment and educational destinations across Melbourne, so residents being able to feel safe when passing through is essential.
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By Gerald Lynch