This article is from page 33 of the 2008-09-30 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 33 JPG
IT HAS been on the cards for several years and now the builders have ar- rived on site. The long-awaited con- struction of the €1.2 million créche in Sixmilebridge has got underway.
Builders moved in to the site on the Shannon road last week and it 1s hoped that the creche will be com- pleted by next Easter.
Its completion will dramatically increase the number of childcare places available in Sixmilebridge. At present there are just 20 spaces and this will increase to 102 (51 full-time and 51 part-time) when the new fa- cility is up-and-running.
Among the facilities to be built at the créche will include two montes-
sori rooms and baby rooms, while a sensory room may also form part of the plans, at a later stage.
The creche 1s part of an overall €10 million project which will incorpo- rate a playground, community centre and multi-purpose hall.
It had been anticipated that the playground would be the first part of the project completed, but there has been a delay with this part of the de- (odo) oy anton le
PRO of the Bridge Complex in Sixmilebridge, Marelen Cadogan, said there is great joy that the work has got underway.
“There will be a huge increase in numbers. We will be able to take children from three months to 12 years. We had originally looked at
figures in 2003. It has taken this long to get it going. It seems to be very much on par with what we need,’ she said.
“The railway station in Sixmilebri- dge is due to open in 2009 and that 1s literally over the bridge. It would be ideally located as a drop-off place,” added Ms Cadogan.
The existing montessori school has operated at the parochial hall in Sixmulebridge for a number of years, but has now moved into the court- house building. It will continue to operate out of there until the comple- tion of the créche.
After the summer break, several projects have regained pace over the past few weeks. There was good news for the teen café, which was
eranted €1,000 in funding from the National Lottery, towards the pur- chase of equipment.
Funds of €20,000 were also grant- ed for renovations to the courthouse. The works were carried out in 2005, at a total cost of €40,000 and the money was granted by the Depart- ment of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. The committee is indebted to Fianna Fail TD Timmy Dooley, who delivered the good news that the money was granted.