BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. Aca,!" U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District and Beale Air Force Base officials broke ground on a new child development center in a ceremony here June 2.
U.S. Air Force Col. Paul McGillicuddy, commander of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, described the importance of the new facility and of the effort by the community to make it a reality.
Aca,!A"The need for a new child development center was identified six years ago,Aca,!A? McGillicuddy said. Aca,!A"Three years ago, a delegation of local community members traveled to Washington, D.C., to seek funding for the project. This project would not be happening without the help and support of the community,Aca,!A?
The old CDC was built in 1967 and undersized, McGillicuddy said. It can accommodate only 80 children at a time and has a waiting list of about 140. Parents looking for an additional care facility for their children need to travel 40 miles to find the nearest one.
Sacramento District is in charge of constructing the new CDC, utilizing a design that will better meet the needs of the community.
Aca,!A"The new CDC will accommodate the entire waiting list,Aca,!A? said Kenneth Wing, project manager with the Sacramento District.
Once completed, the new 37,566 square foot facility will be able to accommodate 284 children, Wing said, a more than 250 percent increase from the current structure. Among the changes the new facility will have will be five infant rooms, six pre-toddler rooms, six toddler rooms, five pre-school rooms, and three outdoor play areas. Also included will be a full kitchen, laundry areas, and various administration spaces, Wing said.
Along with the increase in size, the new CDCAca,!a,,cs location will make it more convenient for Beale residents, Wing said.
Aca,!A"This symbolizes our commitment to members of the military and their children,Aca,!A? said McGillicuddy.
The current CDC is located at the east end of the base. Families who live off base must drive to the east end of base to drop off their children, and for those who work at the flight line, must drive all the way back toward the main gate to their workplace. The location of the new CDC is at the center of the installation, making it more convenient to the families, Wing said.
Aca,!A"Just having the children playing outside right in the middle of the base will add energy and sense of community to the entire base population,Aca,!A? Wing said.
The new facility will save energy, as well. Once completed, the CDC will provide Beale AFB with its first LEED-certified building, which will save 18 percent of energy every year, said McGillicuddy.
LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a voluntary, consensus-based standard to support and certify successful green building design, construction and operations according to the U.S. Green Building Council website.
Aca,!A"It is the next step to BealeAca,!a,,cs future,Aca,!A? said McGillicuddy.
Among the attendees were: Col. Robert Moriarty, commander of the 9th Maintenance Group; Col. Sarah Zabel, commander of the 9th Mission Support Group; Col. Jenny McGee, commander of the 548th Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance Group, other local unit commanders, members of the Beale military liaison committee, and local children.
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