Construction begins on Gentex Discovery Preschool in Zeeland
ZEELAND — A groundbreaking partnership between Gentex and the Outdoor Discovery Center Network has officially broken ground in Zeeland, as many Gentex employees with young children breathe a sigh of relief.
Dozens of representatives from educational institutions, community organizations, economic development groups, and state and local governments gathered in Zeeland on Friday, May 5, to celebrate the beginnings of construction on the Gentex Discovery Preschool, an on-site daycare center and preschool designed to provide subsidized childcare for the children of Gentex employees.
More: Gentex to open on-site daycare, preschool in partnership with local nonprofit
The project was announced in November as part of numerous ARPA-funded projects approved by the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners in 2022.
“Improving access to affordable, quality childcare is a goal shared by all the groups represented here today,” said Gentex President and CEO Steve Downing. “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 re-enter the workforce and create childcare openings throughout the community.”
The 43,000-square-foot facility will be located on Gentex's campus in Zeeland. It will include 12 daycare rooms, three infant rooms, office and common space, a food prep area, and an indoor play center. There will also be outdoor, nature-based playscapes and a fishing pond.
The facility will be owned by Gentex and operated by ODC, which has several existing preschool and childcare programs in Ottawa County, where children spend time outdoors daily.
“Employer-based childcare centers are strategically important to the continued growth of West Michigan,” said ODC’s CEO Travis Williams. “They benefit the employer by helping attract and retain talent, the economy by expanding the workforce and children by reducing the achievement gap and improving health and educational outcomes.”
The center will be the first of its kind in the area, in part due to extended hours to accommodate children of first- and second-shift workers, with a capacity target of 250 children per shift. Gentex plans to offer discounted rates as a benefit of employment.
Completion and opening is expected in 2024. According to its application for ARPA funding, ODC has similar projects planned in the city of Holland at Stow Co. in partnership with Hope College, in the city of Grand Haven at Shape Corp., in Georgetown Township at NuWool Co. Inc. and in Holland Township at The Shops at Westshore in partnership with the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District.
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The announcement comes as many employers along the lakeshore continue to compete for employees. Gentex has also been lauded for its language program, which created Spanish-speaking manufacturing lines to provide more opportunities for employment and promotion within the company.
— Contact editor Cassandra Lybrink at clybrink@hollandsentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter @CassLybrink.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Construction begins on Gentex Discovery Preschool in Zeeland
