Student parents and their children were welcomed to the Moss Street Children’s Center’s grand opening Tuesday afternoon with cookies, hand puppets and praise to all involved with the project.
Although Tuesday marked the official opening of the center, it been offering child care services since Jan. 5, when construction was finished on the north side of the building and the center was able to open five of its eight classrooms.
“It took a little longer than planned (to finish construction),” said Dennis Reynolds, child care coordinator for the University Child Care and Development Centers.
He said the center — which is now complete and only lacks a few finishing touches — boasts a total of eight classrooms, a commercial kitchen, a staff room and a common room for parents to relax and hang out.
The nearly $3 million building, which was funded by student building fees, has the capacity to accommodate about 120 children, Reynolds said.
He added that the facility, located at 1685 Moss St., was designed to fit in with the surrounding community, and planners even went so far as to construct the center around one 40-year-old water oak tree and one giant Ponderosa pine tree.
“Our very footprint on the land was shaped by our goal of preserving these two old trees,” Reynolds said.
EMU Director of Student Activities Gregg Lobisser said the new center is
special because it was tailored to serve the needs of children, while many other child care facilities simply get housed in a leftover building.
One example of the center’s attention to children’s needs is at the building’s entrance, which is adorned with two doors: one door that is the normal size and height for adults, and one child-sized door for the center’s younger patrons.
At the grand opening, about six guides were on hand to greet parents and kids, give out souvenir hand puppets and lead tours of the new center.
Junior environmental studies major Katy Siepert, who attended the grand opening, said she originally wanted her 5-year-old son Sage to go to the Spencer View Co-op Family Center, but they didn’t have any openings. Siepert said it turned out for the best, however.
“I’m really pleased that happened,” she said. “Moss Street is awesome. Since Sage has been here, I feel like we’ve developed good relationships with the teachers in his classroom.”
Siepert said she’s been impressed with the child care services offered by the Moss Street Children’s Center. She praised the center’s educators, who help the children explore the areas of knowledge they’re most interested in by coordinating such special events as “bug week” and “recycling week.” Also, she is happy with the center because it accommodates her son’s need for vegetarian meal options.
University President Dave Frohnmayer also attended the grand opening. He delivered a speech and snipped the ceremonial yellow ribbon, which was decorated with red, green and blue handprints.
Frohnmayer extended thanks to all the people who helped make the child care center possible, and gave a special thanks to Reynolds, who donated money out of his own pocket to establish a large, stone hearth in the front reception area of the center.
“I believe the fireplace symbolizes, both literally and figuratively, the warm atmosphere of the community,” Frohnmayer said.