ZEELAND, Mich. — Construction has begun on the Gentex Discovery Preschool in Zeeland.
The daycare and preschool will be added on-site next to Gentex Corporation, who was joined by the ODC Network at the project’s groundbreaking ceremony Friday.
ODC says the preschool will offer quality support for the children of Gentex’s employees.
“Improving access to affordable, quality childcare is a goal shared by all the groups represented here today,” says Steve Downing, Gentex president and CEO. “Finding and paying for childcare has increasingly become a burden for far too many in our community. It’s a barrier to employment that also negatively affects child development, household financial stability, and overall economic growth. We trust this facility will become a meaningful benefit for Gentex employees, allow individuals to reenter the workforce, and create childcare openings throughout the community.”
We’re told the 43,000-square-foot building will have 12 daycare rooms, three rooms for infants, a play center, office space and a food prep area. Nature-themed play areas and a fishing pond are also planned for the building’s outdoor space.
The preschool’s hours of operation are planned to support children of employees on first and second shifts for up to 250 children per shift.
“[ODC] have amazing facilities, but it's really focused on the entire community. And given the size of our organization, the number of kids that are represented at the company, we knew we needed something with capacity into the hundreds, just for our employees,” says Downing. “So it became impossible to really, you know, take that out of the existing relationships and availability; we knew we had to create something in addition to what already existed.”
Gentex produces rearview mirrors outfitted that dim automatically as well as other automotive electronics, aircraft windows and fire protection goods.
READ MORE: Gentex partners with local nonprofit to open childcare center for employees
