By james art 
MADISON, SD (KELO) – On Tuesday, Madison broke ground on a much-needed child care center. Once completed, the center will offer 140 child care spaces to Madison parents.
The Madison Early Learning Center is a $4.5 million project and is expected to be completed by October 2025.
“Our families deserve this,” said Brooke Rolag, executive director of the Lake District Improvement Corporation. “Ninety-two percent of households have both mom and dad working in Lake County. Our families deserve to have opportunities for their children while they are at work.”
The 15,000-square-foot center will have seven classrooms and an elementary-sized activity center. It will accommodate children from zero to five years of age.
There are currently more than 300 child care positions open in Madison, Rolagh said. The center will help provide options for parents and relief for home day care providers. Aside from a small head start program with the Inter-Lakes Community Action Partnership and a few preschools at various churches, Madison has no full-time child care facility.
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“We here in Madison rely solely on our in-house providers, and they’ve done a phenomenal job for our community, but there’s just not enough room for a growing community, and there’s a lot that are retiring and looking at retirement,” Rollag said.
Madison Mayor Roy Lindsey added that Madison has been growing lately with Dakota State University and new apartment buildings on the northeast side of the city.
“When you have to move to the city and they’re looking at Madison, either the first or second question is what’s available for child care,” he said.
The $4.5 million needed to complete the project was made up of gifts, grants and pledges from local businesses. They received a $1.5 million grant from the State of South Dakota and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, as well as $1 million donated by T. Denny Sanford.
“It’s been an amazing journey,” Rolagh said. “I know childcare is a buzzword and I know it’s something a lot of communities are focusing on. So I salute everyone who is doing their best. It’s not, it’s just not easy.”
The Lake District Improvement Corporation partners with EmBe to provide childcare and work with families, while LAIC provides infrastructure support. The new center will be located at the corner of Highland Avenue and Center Street on the west side of the city.
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