Our region is celebrating one of our biggest successes in quite some time. I’m not talking about the latest manufacturing plant, trail, waterfront development, or downtown amenity – although we’ve had some great successes in those areas lately!
Our region is celebrating a success that should be a model for communities throughout Michigan – it’s the opening of the new Blue Water Area Warm World Childcare & Education Campus at the former Eddy Elementary School in St. Clair, Michigan.
This new childcare and education campus will open up 109 new slots for young children ranging from 6 weeks to pre-school. By comparison, since last fall our entire region has only added 63 new slots. It’s by far the most number of new childcare slots our region has added at one time since Port Huron Schools opened the state-of-the-art Early Childhood Center in 2018.
Like most of Michigan and the Country, the lack of daycare slots is practically a crisis which is a tremendous burden on parents trying to find affordable daycare so they can go to work. Here in this part of Michigan, our regional Blue Meets Green Coalition, along with this Community Foundation, has identified the lack of daycare slots as a top strategic priority.
At the same time, school closings around the state are presenting significant challenges to neighborhoods and communities. Thus – a perfect opportunity! Convert these closed schools into privately run, mixed-use developments featuring a significant allocation of space towards this new Childcare & Education Campus.
But here’s where the learning and best practices needs to come into play. Leadership in Lansing, from our elected officials, to the Governor’s office, to the MEDC and their licensing department, needs to come to St. Clair together, meet with Josh Chapman and his team from the YMCA, and truly listen to their front-line experience and overly lengthy process to open this facility.
Our region has rallied around this project and the leadership of Josh Chapman and our YMCA. Philanthropy has played a major role in this project, and does here and throughout Michigan. We have to be at the table to help address the shortage of daycare slots. At the same time however, the State of Michigan should explore ways to fast-track approvals for large and experienced providers such as a YMCA. We cannot afford to go another 6 years before we add another 100+ daycare slots. Our economy can’t wait that long.
So here it is, an open invitation; Come to St. Clair – bring everyone; ask questions, listen, learn, and then adapt to a new world.