Officials in Wall Lake are seeking the public’s input on a proposed plan to open a city-run child care center in the community. According to City Clerk Chris Rodman, they face the same problem many families in rural Iowa have, finding an available spot at one of the few operating daycares in the region. Following the closure of the Wall Lake Elementary School in 2020, the city began collecting input from residents on what the unused building could be used for, and Rodman says daycare was a common response.
In a message to residents this week, Rodman indicated the city council is starting to gauge the feasibility of building a new child care center near the former Wall Lake Elementary School. However, he says they need more data from area families to determine the types of services required and for how many children.
The Wall Lake City Council is in early talks with Levi Architecture to handle design work for the project. The company has worked with more than a dozen communities throughout the state on similar initiatives. The online survey is for all residents to complete, regardless of if they have daycare-age children, to gauge participants’ interest in a Wall Lake Child Care Center and if an available employee pool exists for the endeavor. A link to that questionnaire can be found included below. Responses will be accepted through Sept 30.
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