The Bridgeway Creative Childhood Center is closing its doors next month.
Bridgeway CEO Bill Nelson says the childcare center will finish out the summer programming cycle and conclude operations Aug. 12. The closure is taking with it seven jobs, some of which are full time.
Nelson tells WGIL the state budget impasse and local economics have made the childhood center “no longer feasible and sustainable.”
“The economics for Bridgeway overall are impacted by the state budget problems and payments from the state,” Nelson says. “We are having to make certain corrections in certain areas because we can no longer afford to subsidize certain programs like we have done with creative childhood.”
Nelson says staff and customers were notified of the center’s closing July 1. The childcare center has been operating since 1975.
“We’re just very sad for the reality of the decision,” Nelson says. “We’ve appreciated the support of the community over the past 41 years.”
Nelson says operating the Creative Childhood Center has cost Bridgeway about $750,000 over the past six years. The childhood center served an average of over 100 children per year.
