08/3/99
ATHENS -- The Ohio University Child Development Center will expand and relocate its services to the soon-to-be-renovated horse barn on The Ridges.
The university solicited bids earlier this year from vendors to provide an expanded child care program to faculty, staff and the community that includes care of infants and toddlers. After examining the bids, university officials decided to contract with the campus' own Child Development Center, operated in Putnam Hall by the College of Health and Human Services.
College of Health and Human Services Dean Gary Neiman said the Child Development Center can continue its fine work and evolve into a model education facility that will attract outside support and funding for research and projects. The expanded center will provide an invaluable service to Ohio University and the citizens of Athens and the greater southeastern Ohio area, he said.
The new center will fulfill the commitment President Robert Glidden made to families in his 1998 State of the University address, in which he announced the university's plan to establish the expanded child care center.
"This center will answer a critical need for working families with infants and toddlers," Glidden said. "I am extremely pleased and appreciative of the dedication and work of the child care center committee, which has worked long and hard to bring this to fruition."
The committee, chaired by President's Office Director Nancy Prichard Crist, includes faculty, staff, community members and parents. The group has spent the past year reviewing the demand for child care and researching policies and programs for an on-site child care facility.
The Athens architectural firm of Reiser, Valentour and Callahan will oversee efforts to renovate the horse barn into a 12,000-square-foot facility to serve approximately 130 children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. The center is scheduled to open at its new location in September 2000.