3 partners exploring $63 million early learning center north of Nisqually Middle School
Three Lacey area partners are exploring the creation of a Young Child and Family Center on school district-owned land north of Nisqually Middle School.
The partnership and project were discussed at a joint meeting of the North Thurston Public Schools board and Lacey City Council on Tuesday. The partners would be the school district, city and South Sound YMCA.
The property was once home to Bucknell Field, a private baseball and softball complex, North Thurston Assistant Superintendent of Operations Monty Sabin said.
The 70,000-square-foot center is needed, Sabin said, to meet the early learning needs of preschool-age children in the area. Of that, 45,000-square-feet would be devoted to early learning — serving 600 children annually — while 25,000 square feet would serve the public, offering parenting and nutrition classes, medical and mental health services, a swimming pool, indoor playground, outdoor spray park and something called an “outdoor adventure playground.”
“The need is massive,” said Kyle Cronk, president and chief executive of the South Sound YMCA. And demand has outpaced the growth of services for early learning, all of which was made worse by the pandemic.
Cronk said 40 percent of early learning centers such as preschools and child care centers closed during 2020 and into 2021.
A lot about the project is still to be determined, including funding sources for the estimated $63 million cost, Sabin said.
Still, the proposal was met with enthusiasm.
“This is the missing piece in Lacey,” said school board member Dave Newkirk, adding that he also hopes it features a destination for area teens.
Lacey Deputy Mayor Malcolm Miller agreed that the city needs some indoor spaces for young people.
He recalled his two children, both of whom graduated from Timberline High School, telling him that there was nothing to do in Lacey except go to the movies. It’s the kind of amenity that will keep residents here, he said.
“If we don’t provide facilities like this, we may see them leave and not come back,” Miller said.
Lacey City Council member Robin Vazquez inquired whether the early learning opportunities will be affordable for low-income families.
Cronk said fees will be geared toward what people can afford and financial aid will be offered. For example, South Sound YMCA provides $1 million in scholarships annually.
“Everyone can play in this scenario,” he said.
This story was originally published May 18, 2022 at 5:45 AM.
