ExpansionCampaign
In the
summer of 2021, the Mariposa Family Learning Center voted to take over the
Montopolis Friendship Community Center building located right next door, known
as the “Centennial Building”. We are going to use the space as offices, a
teacher resource room, a family programming space, and a community hall. The building needs extreme remodeling and
updating to comply with current permitting requirements.
As our
first impression of the neighborhood, the exterior landscaping, yard, and
playground should reflect the beauty and utility that families deserve, and the
interior should be a place of comfort, safety, and play for the Mariposa
community. We have carefully planned the space to help us create an environment
where teachers can provide the best possible care and education for young
children. We are just in need of resources for the special project.
The
most critical component of remodeling or upgrading our center is to plan and
budget for the refurbishment, equipment, and furnishings needed for the variety
of support spaces that our childcare center needs. These spaces include:
Reception area
Multi-Facility "Rainy Day" Classroom/ Indoor gross motor space (see below)
Offices
Staff Room
Parent resource room
Laundry room
Bathrooms
Kitchen
Altogether
the renovation of the Centennial building to include the above-mentioned
amenities will make Mariposa a reliable, resourceful, and beautiful space for
the families of the center, their children, and the community. Our admin team
needs space for work and private confidential conversations with staff and
families. The teachers need space to rest and relax from the classroom and to
access additional toys and material, create projects and plans for the
classrooms, meet with each other, and hold conferences with parents. The
rainy-day room is essential to any center as a space where volunteers can lead
large group activities such as Music and Movement or Mindfulness sessions. It
will also serve as a play space when the weather prevents the children from
being outdoors. There is a kitchen facility that could be upgraded to prepare
hot meals for the children that need to be renovated to comply with current
permitting requirements.
The
facility - just like the first building that was given to Mariposa - was given
by the Montopolis Center and by the City of Austin to Mariposa in its current
decaying state. To build or remodel a building in Austin is hard as builders
are experiencing rising interest rates and higher costs for construction
materials. According to the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC),
even two years after the start of the pandemic, the construction industry is
experiencing soaring materials costs and supply chain problems.