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New CDC designed with children in mind

  • Published
  • By James Hodges
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  In the late spring/early summer of 2011, the Dix Child Development Center will relocate to a new facility designed specifically to meet young children's needs.

The new CDC will replace the existing building with a facility located closer to the population it serves, near the Garden Terrace housing area and Fort Dix Elementary School.

"(The CDC) provides quality, affordable and available child care to the military families that we serve so they can meet their mission requirements," said Darleen M. White, 87th Force Support Squadron Dix Child Development Center chief.

The primary mission of the CDC is to accommodate the active-duty military servicemember. If space is available, the service is extended to retired servicemembers, and DOD civilian and contract employees. There are four CDCs at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst -one at Dix, two at McGuire and one at Lakehurst. Three youth and teen programs are also available.

In 1978, the CDC moved to its current location in Bldg. 5523, which was previously used as a recreation center for enlisted servicemembers.

"If you look at the footprint of [Dix], we are smack in the middle of the training area," said White. "It was a building that was not originally designed for children and youth and we've had persistent challenges."

The current space has been adapted to suit the needs of the CDC, with cubbies lining the halls and large rooms divided up into activity areas. Many rooms don't have direct access to the exterior play areas.

Each room in the new design will be self-contained with cubbies, bathrooms and access to appropriately-secured exterior play areas. The rooms will be fully adaptable for any age group that needs to be accommodated.

The one-floor building will feature updated heating and air-conditioning systems and modern fire alarms to exceed current Army and Air Force standards. A state of the art monitoring system will also be installed covering both interior and exterior observation, offering security and reassurance.

"It's a great peace of mind for our families," said White. "Children who come in and get a little upset with separation, more times than not by the time (parents) leave them in the activity room and come to view on the monitor they see that their child has settled down and they're walking away with the impression of their child in a positive experience rather than teary-eyed and upset about having to leave their parent."

The new location, in a more populated area, might also relieve some challenges from nature such as groundhogs and geese.

"In past years we would have vegetable gardens that the children would grow as part of their developmental experience," said White. "It was always quite frustrating for them to put the time and effort into planning and tending and when they go to harvest find that nature has beaten them to it."

The new facility will have a slight reduction in the children it can accommodate with only 184 child care spaces; currently there are 192.

The project has been a 22-year process, with funding being made available for the new building as the transition in the joint base occurred.

"The Air Force leadership was definitely on board and saw the need for moving forward with this project," said White. "It will be nice to be in a facility that truly is designed and made for our purposes," she added.

The CDC offers care for children 6 weeks to 6 years in age. Full-day service is available from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with hourly care from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fees are on a sliding scale to ensure affordable service. For more information call 562-2371.