ANSBACH, Germany -- On Halloween Day, there were no costumes, no candy, and no ghosts, at least not at the ground breaking ceremony for the combined Child Development Center and School Age Services at Katterbach Kaserne. The only dirt turning on this ghoulish day was in preparation for construction.
For the second time in one week, representatives from the U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach; Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation; Child, Youth and School Services; the Nuremberg State Construction Office and Einhaupl Construction; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Europe District; and several children ceremoniously started construction by shoveling and tossing dirt.
Col. Kelly J. Lawler, USAG Ansbach commander opened the ceremony by welcoming guests to their "weekly" groundbreaking since the Storck CDC broke ground on Oct. 25.
"It is my privilege to break ground on another new CDC, this facility gives us an opportunity to take care of the world's greatest treasures, the children of Soldiers," said Lawler.
According to Carol Carter, director of the Ansbach CDC, the $13.3 million facility will accommodate roughly 232 children and provide them with separate age-appropriate areas. The facility will house two sections, one with a capacity of 126 children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old, and another for 106 children ages 6 to 11 years old.
"I'm so excited about this project," Carter said. "Not only is the new center going to increase our capacity by more than 120 spaces and gives parents a one-stop facility for their children, it's also going to allow us to hire more employees."
Carter said by combining two adjoining facilities into one, parents do not have to drive anywhere else. They will simply have to open a door between the CDC and the School Age Center.
"This is a great project and a big quality-of-life improvement for our families," Carter said.
With nearly 41,000 square feet of space, the new $13.3 million facility will provide a video surveillance system, fire detection alarm systems, a sprinkler system, safety surfacing, fencing, and a large outdoor activity area with equipment John Curtis, USACE Engineering and Construction Branch deputy chief said.
"Rest assured, this will be a safe and environmentally-friendly facility," Curtis said. "I understand the need to ensure our children spend their days in a safe, comfortable facility, so we can go a through our work days without worrying about our children."
Over the next several months, the site will be prepared, the foundation will be placed, and vertical construction will begin. According to Curtis, the facility is scheduled to be complete in late 2013.
"Working with the Corps on this project has been awesome," Carter said. "We meet every Tuesday. I don't think anyone who has never worked on a project of this size would understand how much is involved in taking a project from dirt to completion."
Carter said there is only one drawback to the whole project.
"The only bad part about this experience is that we have to wait for about two years until we can open our doors on the new facility," Carter said.
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