A local county-run daycare that was forced to close down when asbestos was discovered in the insulation is almost ready to reopen.
The Willowdale Child Care and Learning Centre, which evacuated and closed its Willow Road building almost a year ago, will move back into the space over the weekend and open back up on Monday, Oct. 29.
The County of Wellington, the City of Guelph, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health and the Ministry of Education have worked diligently over the past year, renovating and conducting multiple test and inspections to ensure the building is safe to reopen, a news release said.
Some parents were without child care for a brief period last fall after the asbestos was discovered, but for most of the year the daycare has continued to operate out of a temporary location on Dawson Road.
“County and city staff have been working hard to clean up the original building so the children and staff can return as quickly as possible to the original centre,” said county warden Chris White in the release.
Families of children currently enrolled in the daycare are invited to attend a “Family Visit Night” tonight (Oct. 23) at 6:30 p.m. at the 95 Willow Road location.
Staff will conduct the move over the weekend to avoid a service disruption for families, the release said.
“I’d like to thank the parents and the children for their patience during this transitional period,” said director of child care services Luisa Artuso in the release.