This and that to end the week
WL looks at child care center options. Land use ideas emerge for Wea/Sheffield townships. County plans to dig up time capsule left in courthouse lawn in 2000. Wabash Twp. gets date with county council
Thanks for ongoing support from Based in Lafayette sponsor Long Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Lafayette. For tickets and details on all the shows and events, go to longpac.org.
Catching up a bit on a Friday …
POTENTIAL CONCEPTS SHOWN FOR WEST LAFAYETTE CHILD CARE CENTER: Consultants for West Lafayette’s hopes to build an early childhood education center this week showed four potential concepts for a 4.7-acre parcel along Kalberer Road. During a public input session Tuesday at West Lafayette City Hall, consultants said they would continue to work with the city, child care providers and others to mesh potential construction design with programing for a 24/7 center, as the city weighs the costs of not only construction, but also operation.
West Lafayette Mayor Erin Easter said construction of a project, if approved, wouldn’t start until 2029 or 2030 at the earliest. But the project comes on the heels of a 2024 city-commissioned study that found needs, particularly for infants, for 75 to 125 children 5 years old and younger. The city has a parcel near the West Lafayette Fire Station No. 3 donated by Purdue Research Foundation for the project, if it comes together.
Easter said during Tuesday’s session that the city watching what she called “the shifting landscape” in child care and how and whether the city’s redevelopment commission might position itself to fit in to what the city considers a workforce issue.
“We are committed to going through this planning process, having conversations with providers and families to understand what the needs are across the community, and ultimately coming to a point as we go through these conversations and getting through schematic design to start making some decisions community wide as to what our next steps will be,” Easter said. “But at least we’ve done the planning and design work, so we are prepared for whatever next step happens.”
Kevin Cooper, with StudioAxis, one of two firms working on aspects of the possible design, is concentrating on feedback already given, including keeping class size rations below state guidelines; flexibility in programming for a range of ages; shared spaces; and around-the-clock, daily operations.
Cooper said the plans would be designed to accommodating doubling the center’s size if expansion is needed. He said the initial plans being considered would put operations above the 125-child level to start.
The consultants showed four potential layouts:
For a closer look at layouts for each one, here’s a link.
More detailed plans are being aimed for a Sept. 2 public session, from 6-8 p.m., at West Lafayette City Hall, 222 N. Chauncey Ave.
The city also is taking feedback via email at: development@westlafayette.in.gov. And by a survey, available here or at WLmoves.com.
SECOND SESSION SET FOR DRAFT LAND USE PLAN FOR WEA AND SHEFFIELD TOWNSHIPS: The Area Plan Commission will hold the second of two sessions next week to get feedback for an ongoing study aimed at updating land use plans in unincorporated Wea and Sheffield townships, south and southeast of Lafayette. Once finished, the plan will be used to guide decisions about development, preserving farmland and providing public open spaces.
APC posted a draft of the plan at its site this week. Find it here.
What are some of the key takeaways from the plan as it takes shape? That question went to Amanda Esposito, APC’s assistant director. She offered three:
