WIMMERA children will again be able to attend after school care in Horsham with the YMCA stepping in to offer a new program.
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It comes after Wimmera Uniting Care’s after school and vacation care program was at a Federation University building, until it was destroyed by fire in November last year.
The program then moved temporarily to Horsham Primary School, but Wimmera Uniting Care could not secure a new location for the program and announced the service would not run in 2017.
YMCA will now run the program from February.
Horsham Aquatic Centre’s Mark Meyer said the program would start on February 1 at Horsham Primary School’s 298 campus. “We are looking into getting buses to get the children out to the school,” he said.
Mr Meyer said after school care programs were something the YMCA had done before.
“It’s something we do well,” he said.
“We wanted to do what we could to benefit the community.”
YMCA area manager Scott Bryant said he was delighted to be able to offer the service to the community.
Horsham Rural City Council will contribute $10,000 for the first six months of the program.
Mayor Pam Clarke said after school and vacation care was an important service in the region.
"We want to get the word out to parents," she said.
Horsham mother Kristin Holland said she was so relieved the service would run again.
“My eldest is starting school next year and I work two afternoons a week,” she said.
“I was really stressing about what to do with him while I was at work.
“We were starting to think my husband would have to finish work early those days and make up that time throughout the week, which wouldn't be ideal.”
Mrs Holland said the service came just in time for the family.
