Child Learning & Development Center to close in Columbia
ABC 17 News has confirmed Wednesday that the Child Learning and Development Center in Columbia is scheduled to close this week, displacing dozens of children.
The center on Corporate Place off Vandiver is licensed to hold 99 children.
A note was left on the door for employees and parents, reading:
“Due to the extensive repairs of the foundation crack running the entire length of the building in the 2/3’s and 4/5’s room, I need to close the building. I’m sorry but Friday will be the last day we are open. If you paid ahead, refund checks will be made.”
The center is scheduled to close at 6:00 p.m. on Friday.
Parents and employees were notified of the closing on Wednesday.
“This came as a total shock to me,” Angela Hubert said. She brought her two children to the daycare for five years, saying she enjoyed the time. “And now, all of a sudden, with two days notice, we don’t have anywhere to go. So now everyone’s trying to scramble to find a new daycare.”
Hubert and other parents pointed out the difficulty in finding a new daycare center. Hubert said she had to wait six months for a spot to open at CLDC before her oldest son, five-year-old Alex, could start.
“The teachers really cared about your kids,” she said about the CLDC. “In fact, I know my son got really attached to some of the teachers there. They had excellent learning programs, teaching programs. So I was really impressed and I loved being there.”
The daycare did not respond to a message left by ABC 17 News as of Wednesday night. A state health department inspection from October 26 cited several problems with the center, including the lack of an “approved” director on staff.
