SPOKANE, Wash. — A new multi-use facility that will bring 100 new childcare slots to northeast Spokane is now one step closer to opening its doors after securing critical funding.
The project has been in the works for years, but it has just secured $2 million in grant funding, pushing it forward. Senator Maria Cantwell, local leaders, and parents celebrated in Spokane today.
Northeast Spokane has been called a childcare desert. Amber MacCurdy, a mother of three, has felt the impacts of that and has struggled to find a job.
“One of the biggest hurdles for me is childcare,” MacCurdy said.
She isn’t alone. A study from the Northeast Community Center found that over 40 percent of families say fluctuating work schedules make it difficult to find childcare. This new mixed-use facility hopes to change that.
“This is for all families, regardless of socioeconomic status, which is huge,” said Luc Jasmin, co-owner of Jasmin and Associates LLC.
The building will be located off of Wellesley, just blocks from the North Market Street area in Hillyard. It will provide affordable housing units available above the childcare facility.
“The accessible childcare is going to be a huge barrier that’s going to be lifted for a lot of people here,” MacCurdy said.
The project is not only making life easier for parents but also for employers.
“It is a support system for working families that we care so much about in Hillyard,” said Adam Snider, senior director of operations at Jubilant HollisterStier.
The hope is to break ground on this project this year and finish it by 2028.
For parents like Amber, seeing how it could revitalize the area brings a lot of excitement.
“This could be a really big Centerstone. It’s helping our community just blossom,” MacCurdy said.
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