Waitara & District Community Childcare. Photo: Screenshot / Google Maps
Parents and staff of a Waitara community childcare centre are shellshocked it has been forced to close.
Early Childhood Council CEO Simon Laube said the 52 children who attend the Waitara & District Community Childcare have been left with nowhere to go and families were reeling.
"They are absolutely devastated and distraught. I've been to the centre that is a treasured part of the Waitara community. There is nowhere for these children to go."
The centre, which had a 44-year history, leased part of a building managed by Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ).
Head of Crown Property Sonya Wikitera said LINZ took its responsibility as a landlord seriously and having been made aware of the mould in the building, it was clear the building could not be used as a childcare centre in its current state.
"LINZ is committed to acting when problems are identified and the health of children and staff in the building was our top priority when making the decision to terminate the lease."
Laube said LINZ had been responsible for a series of blunders.
The childcare centre had been served a 90 days' notice to vacate which was to expire in May, but only this week it was revealed that suspected black mould in another part of the building - not used by the centre - was the reason behind the notice.
The Ministry of Education then stepped in to close Waitara & District Community Childcare almost immediately, leaving staff shellshocked and local parents stranded without childcare, he said.
"Early childhood centres keep getting treated like they don't matter.
"We believe LINZ knew about the suspected black mould in their part of the building as far back as 2019, and yet they took no steps to manage it or disclose it to our provider until yesterday.
"They've effectively terminated this treasured community childcare centre without compassion, transparency or taking responsibility," said Laube.
"We're in disbelief at having to temporarily shut our centre due to LINZ negligence. Through failing to meet their responsibilities and maintain the building, we're having to close the centre and find alternative premises."
Waitara & District Community Childcare centre director Beth Moeahu said the centre's closure was very upsetting.
"We're a tight knit community and it's been devastating having to share this with our whānau - there will be a massive financial and emotional impact on them and their children.
"Because of LINZ's poor management of these buildings, the Waitara community is set to lose a childcare centre with community ties that go back generations.
"Questions need to be asked about whether LINZ's management of buildings they lease to early childhood providers is up to scratch, because in this case, they've not been responsible landlords."
Head of Crown Property Sonya Wikitera said the Waitara Community Childcare Centre rented one half of a LINZ-managed building. The other half of the building was empty and the two shared internal walls.
LINZ carried out a site inspection on 15 January, 2025 and could see visible mould encroaching into the centre.
Wikitera said the agency had been working closely with the Ministry of Education and the childcare centre to arrange for them to vacate the premise.
"We understand MOE is supporting the centre to find alternative premises.
"LINZ is actively working to assess the mould to better understand the extent and what type it is. At this stage, the mould has not been confirmed as stachybotrys, commonly known as black mould."
Laube said hoped the centre could be saved.
"We have not given up hope - while we understand the MOE is helping WDCC find temporary accommodation, we intend to call a community meeting and invite the government officials to share their plans, so we can understand what went wrong and try again to find solutions."
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