By Natasha Bita The Australian January 10, 2009 12:00am
ABC Learning's receiver is threatening to sue a rival childcare operator for the return of toys and playground equipment, after parents rallied to rescue a failed ABC centre and keep it running under new management. ABC lost the tug-of-war over its Harrington Park North centre in Sydney's west when the building's landlord managed to keep itopen with the same children and staff, The Weekend Australian reports.
The NSW Department of Community Services fast-tracked a licensing application to let landlord Martin Downs take over the centre after ABC pulled the plug on New Year's Eve.
Mr Downs said yesterday that the receiver, McGrathNicol, had ignored his offer to buy back the centre when ABC fell into receivership two months ago, so he had taken it over for free.
He said McGrathNicol was threatening to take him to the NSW Supreme Court unless he returned toys and equipment.
Mr Downs hired security guards to stop ABC's removalists shifting items from the centre after Christmas.
He said he had kept the equipment because ABC had pulled out of a seven-year, $100,000 annual lease.
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