With the help of a LISC loan, the Woonsocket Head Start Child Development Association (WHSCDA)’s Highland Park Center was able to undergo a complete renovation. With the exception of some playground and HVAC upgrades no major renovations had been made to the center since its original construction and the wear and tear of running the program over the past 27 years had taken a toll. Utilizing a LISC predevelopment grant for design, LISC TA during bidding and contractor negotiation, the aforementioned LISC loan, along with funds set aside by WHSCDA specifically for long-term purposes such as this project, overall upgrades and cosmetic improvements were made to classrooms, children’s bathrooms, offices and the kitchen. Renovations such as improving and updating the kitchen, creating better sight lines and supervision, improving access to outdoors, redesigning spaces to better serve infants and toddlers, upgrading the efficiency of fixtures, maximizing available square footage, repairing the roof, adding compliant safety surfacing, and simple cosmetic changes all help to ensure the continued quality of programming. The construction was swift too – completed throughout the summer and reopened in time for the start of the 2017-2018 school year! Congratulations to Woonsocket Head Start! We were thrilled to be with you every step of the way!
