Parents and community members in Brisbane’s south are fighting to prevent the closure of the YMCA Acacia Ridge Early Learning Centre, set to shut on December 18 after more than 40 years of operation.
The centre, Y Queensland’s oldest and now last standing childcare centre in the state, is scheduled to close. The land is leased to Y Queensland until 2050. Y Queensland, formerly YMCA Queensland, notified families in mid-October of the decision. The organisation said it had found it increasingly challenging to keep the facility afloat.
Parent Angelina Tila, who continues to send her children despite moving away from the suburb years ago, said: “For my family, this centre has never simply been a childcare facility … our relationship with the centre spans decades,” she said. Another parent, Luke McMahon, said the closure meant he was scrambling ahead of Christmas to find a new centre for his daughter, adding that it had taken her about five months to feel comfortable at the centre.
A Y Queensland spokesperson said the not-for-profit had not made the decision lightly. “Despite our best efforts, we’ve reached a point where continuing to operate the centre is no longer viable,” the spokesperson said. The organisation said it had emailed families a list of six nearby options.
Families have launched petitions with the Brisbane City Council and online, gathering several hundred signatures. They are also concerned that conditions in the council lease would require council approval to change the land use to anything but a childcare facility. The council said any decisions about the lease were up to Y Queensland, which declined to comment on the lease conditions but said it would maintain its presence in the suburb through other community facilities.
McMahon said he hoped Y Queensland could transfer the lease to another childcare provider, as had occurred for the organisation’s Birtinya centre, which closed earlier in the year.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The closure would eliminate a long-standing community resource in Brisbane’s south, leaving families scrambling for alternatives.
- It highlights the financial pressures faced by not-for-profit childcare providers.
- The outcome could set a precedent for other facilities on leased community land.
Background
The YMCA Acacia Ridge Early Learning Centre has been operating for more than 40 years and is Y Queensland’s oldest childcare centre in Queensland. Y Queensland, formerly YMCA Queensland, is a not-for-profit organisation that also runs sports, recreation and community facilities in Acacia Ridge.
Key Perspectives
Parents and families: Argue the centre is a vital community hub, expressing frustration at the short notice and difficulty finding alternative care, especially for children who have struggled to settle.
Y Queensland: Maintains the decision was necessary as the centre was no longer financially viable, and points to its efforts to help families transition.
What to Watch
- Whether the petitions or community pressure can delay or reverse the closure.
- If Y Queensland will transfer the lease to another provider, as it did with the Birtinya centre.
- How many families will be able to secure places at the six alternative centres listed.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe Brisbane community is rallying to stop the YMCA Acacia Ridge centre from closing.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “A community in Brisbane’s south is fighting to stop the closure of a local childcare and kindergarten centre they say has been a community pillar for decades.”
- SupportedParents launched petitions and they gathered several hundred signatures.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The families have launched several petitions with the Brisbane City Council and online, attracting several hundred signatures.”
- SupportedY Queensland said continuing to operate the centre was no longer viable.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““Despite our best efforts, we’ve reached a point where continuing to operate the centre is no longer viable.””
- SupportedThe centre is scheduled to close on December 18.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The YMCA Acacia Ridge Early Learning Centre has a scheduled close for December 18.”
- SupportedThe centre has operated for more than 40 years.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Y Queensland (formerly YMCA Queensland) would shutter from December 18, ending more than 40 years of operation”
- SupportedIt is Y Queensland’s oldest and now last-standing childcare centre in the state.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “the community organisation’s oldest – and now last standing – childcare centre in the state.”
- SupportedThe land is leased to Y Queensland until 2050.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The early education facility sits on several blocks leased to Y Queensland until 2050”
- SupportedY Queensland notified families in mid-October of the closure decision.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Parents and staff members at the early learning centre were notified in mid-October Y Queensland (formerly YMCA Queensland) would shutter from December 18”
- SupportedAngelina Tila said, “For my family, this centre has never simply been a childcare facility … our relationship with the centre spans decades.”Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““For my family, this centre has never simply been a childcare facility … our relationship with the centre spans decades,” she said.”
- SupportedLuke McMahon said it had taken his daughter about five months to feel comfortable at the centre.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““It’s not just that, it’s that … it took her about five months before she started feeling comfortable at the centre,” he said.”
- SupportedY Queensland said it emailed families a list of six nearby options.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Y Queensland said it had checked for vacancies with nearby childcare centres, and emailed families a list of six options in late October.”
- Partly supportedConditions in the council lease require council approval to change the land use to anything other than a childcare facility.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Families were also concerned the early learning centre was subject to conditions laid out in its Brisbane City Council lease more than 50 years ago that would require council approval to change the use of the land to anything but a child care facility.”