Construction begins soon on the Hilltop Early Childhood Learning Center. Officials yesterday broke ground on the facility promised by Mayor Andy Ginther in a State of the City speech. Ginther says the $20 million, 50,000 square-foot facility will focus on pre-kindergarten learning for up to 240 children, ages 3-to-5.
The money comes from the city's voter-approved Capital Improvements Budget. Construction is scheduled to conclude by May 2022. The pandemic has delayed the project and cut into enrollment at similar centers. Studies have shown kids in high quality, early childhood education are better prepared for kindergarten and more likely to succeed through the rest of their academic careers.