More than five years after the Flynn Primary School was closed amid controversy and acrimony, the building is once again being put to use, this time as a child-care centre.
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The Flynn Early Childhood Centre opened this week in part of the former school, which was closed by the ACT Government in December, 2006.
The new $4 million childhood centre accommodates 115 children - 18 more than the old facilities it replaced.
The child-care centre is an amalgamation of the former Alkira Community Childcare Centre in Charnwood, which had 62 places, and Gumnut Place Childcare in Evatt, which had 35 places.
Belconnen Community Association senior director Annette Coleman said there was a waiting list to get into the new centre at Flynn but there was still room to move.
''For example, one of our toddler rooms is licensed for 16 children but the space they are in could fit up to 26 children. So there is the possibility of expansion in the future should it be needed,'' she said.
A spokesman for Community Services Minister Joy Burch confirmed not all rooms in the new $4million centre were air-conditioned, although the building was constructed in line with the national quality standard for child care. ''There are spaces in building that are air-conditioned including the babies/cot room, staff room and central core area. These are on the western side of the building which would receive the most direct sunlight,'' he said. ''Rooms on the other side of the building away from the direct sunlight, the play rooms, don't have air-conditioning but should generally be pretty cool. In addition, the building allows cooler air to be circulated within and has features to minimise the effects of heat, such as thick walls and eaves.''
Mrs Coleman said the old Alkira building was being used as a ''churn'' centre to house childhood centres while their own premises were being renovated. It was currently occupied by Charnwood's Cooinda Cottage.
The old Gumnut Place building had been returned to the Education Department for Evatt Primary School to accommodate an increase in enrolments.
The new centre at Flynn accommodated children from birth to preschool, with the preschoolers starting next month.
Mrs Coleman said many families had been looking forward to the centre opening.
A community hub will be established in the remaining parts of the school. Mrs Burch's spokesman said expressions of interest had been sought from community organisation and work on an additional $4million refurbishment was due to start mid-year.
