YMCA CEO Chris Reese said the project is based on a program called the Gladstone Project.

“The Gladstone Project has shown that kids who were in that program scored 21% higher on tests by third grade than those who hadn’t (been),” Reese said.

Reese said the YMCA paid $725,000 for the 4,600-square-foot building after ABC House moved to its new facility near the Linn County Courthouse. Funding came from an anonymous local benefactor.

Remodeling will cost about $100,000, Reese said.

“We’ve gutted everything because there were so many small offices and we need open spaces for classrooms,” Reese said.

Reese said his goal is to eventually have the facility open 24 hours a day to help parents who work night shifts or attend college classes.

“There is such a great need for this in our community,” Reese said. “It is forecast that Albany’s population will grow from 58,000 to 90,000 by 2050. We want to get ahead of the curve on this.”

Reese said his long-term goal is to provide services to 500 to 1,000 children ages 3 to 5 through this facility and expanding to other locations.

“We want to provide children with a safe place to thrive,” Reese said.

Ashley Thomas is the YMCA Early Learning Center director and said her staff has been preparing for the center’s opening for more than a month.

Thomas, who has a master’s degree in early childhood education from Willamette University, said the facility will focus on hands-on learning.

“For example, in the arts room, there will be chalkboards and easels everywhere so the kids can use them individually or for group activities,” Thomas said. “In the science and engineering room, there will be magnifying glasses, discovery tools and different building and creation stations so the kids can examine how things work or even how they grow.”

Each class will consist of up to 20 children, and, once COVID restrictions are lifted, the groups will rotate to themed classrooms which will focus on math and literature, arts and music, and science and engineering. Their teacher will stay with the class and will teach lessons from the curriculum that are focused around those themed classrooms.

At this time, the classes will not rotate rooms, and Thomas will be the only staff member to move from classroom to classroom within the system, but will change clothes and enact other safety protocols following OHA guidelines.

The YMCA has received a $520,000 grant to support tuition for 40 children and salaries for a couple teachers.

Thomas said fees will be $650 month for three days per week or less or $850 per month for five days per week.

The facility will be surrounded by a fence and children will be able to play in a covered outdoor area in inclement weather. There also will be a natural outdoor area for the kids to explore and each child will have their own garden box to tend to, so they can learn about how to grow their own food and to be responsible for its care.

The YMCA is accepting applications by phone at 541-926-4488 extension 120 or online at http://www.ymcaalbany.org/.

YMCA board member Stan Boshart said Reese had the vision for the center but is being “fully supported by the board members. We see this as a very good start toward alleviating a serious problem.”