Child care center getting makeover
YMCA's center at United Methodist Church is being renovated to allow for expansion.

DAYTON - The YMCA Child Care Center at Grace United Methodist Church is currently undergoing major renovations to allow the progarm to expand this fall.

The renovation and expansion project began in June and should be completed in mid-November.

The current center, 1001 Harvard Blvd., houses six classrooms.

Upon completion, the center will have 10 classrooms, plus a discovery room and an outdoor classroom/playground. The new discovery room will feature sand and water play activities, an art and science area and interactive wall panels. The outdoor classroom will include a covered infant play space, art easels, sand and music areas, playhouse, garden boxes and a large climbing feature.

Other improvements underway include upgraded life safety systems, one-way viewing windows for parents to observe classrooms and an updated communications system for staff members.

The renovation also means the center will have room for more children. Currently, 94 children are enrolled at the center.

At the expanded center there will be room for 168 children, with the majority of the new spaces allocated for infants through preschoolers.

The center is now accepting registrations for these soon-to-be-open slots, children ages 6 weeks to pre-kindergarten. Applications are available by calling the YMCA at Grace at (937) 278-4636.

An open house and grand re-opening for the newly renovated facility is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 18.