By Carol Vaughn —
Children’s Harbor and Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce officials cut a ribbon Friday to officially recognize the upcoming opening of Children’s Harbor Eastern Shore
The facility, in the former Fairgrounds Restaurant near Onancock, is not yet open — inspections and licensing required for child care centers still have to be completed, as well as some construction work.
Still, attendees got a look at the new facility’s interior and at the new playground during tours after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“This transformational facility will impact families, businesses, and communities in such a positive way for years to come,” said Robert Sabbatini, chamber of commerce executive director.
“It has been a lot of hard work, been a lot of dollars spent, but at the end of the day, when we open our doors and we start impacting the lives of children here on the Eastern Shore, it’s going to make this society better as a whole,” said Wayne Bell Jr., Children’s Harbor executive director and a Shore native.
Ann Williams, a consultant on the project, said since coming to the Shore 25 years ago, “I’ve known from day one that we needed more affordable, quality child care on the Shore.”
Williams said she approached Bell with the idea of getting Children’s Harbor to expand to the Shore.
The nonprofit organization has four other centers in Hampton Roads and has been in operation since 1911.
Bell said he “bought into that concept immediately” but had to clear it with his board of directors and staff.
The board gave Bell the go ahead to pursue the idea, but indicated financial resources could have to come from outside the organization.
Williams did a needs assessment survey and brought findings to local and state officials, seeking funding.
Former Gov. Ralph Northam included $250,000 for the center in the state budget, a measure the General Assembly approved.
The cost to get the center up and running is nearly $500,000, according to Bell.
The center also has received funds from the Perdue Foundation, the Eastern Shore of Virginia Community Foundation, and individual donors. The organization also is applying for a grant through Accomack County, which is using some federal funding received through the American Rescue Plan Act to address child care needs.
Bell said those involved with Children’s Harbor “do not think of ourselves as a daycare center. … We actually provide education using a curriculum. … Our whole goal is to make sure that our students are equipped and ready for kindergarten.”
Center director Trina Cooper introduced staff members who will be working at the center, including assistant director Genee Drummond.
The center has classrooms for infants (6 weeks to 12 months), waddlers (ages 12 to 15 months), toddlers (16 to 24 months), two-year-olds, three-year-olds (also called preschool), four-year-olds (or Pre-K), and school-age children (ages 5 to 10).
At capacity, the center will be able to serve between 80 and 100 children, as determined by licensure.
Information about the center is at childrensharbor.cc
The phone number is (757) 302-0700. The email is [email protected]
The center is at 20250 Fairgrounds Road, near Onancock.
