MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new, state-of-the-art child development center at Camp Pendleton’s De Luz Housing Area, Feb. 25.
The ceremony marked the first official day of construction for the new CDC, which will have enough space to accommodate 250 military and Department of Defense civilian children ages 6 months to 6 years old.
“The secretary of defense and the secretary of the Navy’s first priority is taking care of people,” said special guest Gladys J. Commons, assistant secretary of the Navy for financial management and comptroller. “Taking care of people is not only taking care of the troops, but their families and the many civilians who support the Department of Defense as well.”
The installation’s sixth CDC will help bolster a sense of community and learning experiences for the children with classrooms, a library, an art studio, an amphitheater and includes more than 20,000 square feet for outdoor play and exercise areas.
The $15 million project, which is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, will create new jobs during the construction phase and with the permanent staffing of the center.
Funding from the ARRA is an empowering action that allows for the tremendous opportunity of building new and much needed facilities to support service members and their families, Commons said.
In addition to this CDC, $600 million in ARRA funding has been designated for Camp Pendleton projects to increase the quality of life for troops and their families through the renovation of bachelor enlisted quarters and construction of a new hospital.
“The Navy stands out for executing these projects and is leading in the area of increasing quality of life projects,” said Commons.
The accredited CDC is scheduled to be completed in February 2011.
“Building a child development center is a wonderful thing,” she said. “It is a fine example of taking care of military families.”