MINISTER for Children and Youth, Frances Fitzgerald, paid a visit to Ballymun to officially open Our Lady’s Nursery in Silloge Gardens recently.
The new nursery replaces a pre-fabricated building where the original not-for-profit facility operated for the last 41 years and which no longer met the standards required to provide modern childcare to pre-school children.
The brand new nursery, located near the site of the original structure, is being hailed as a great example of a partnership approach to developing and implementing community based services.
The location of the new purpose built building ensures a continuity of the long-running service for local children and it boasts considerable additional space.
“Our aim is to ensure that every child in our care secures a strong foundation for early years’ education,
? said Sr Majella McCabe, Manager of Our Lady’s.
“We can cater for 76 children aged between six months and five years. The new nursery contains a toddlers’ unit and toddlers’ room, as well as four pre-school rooms and is exactly what the community in Ballymun needs.
“Ultimately Our Lady’s Nursery will contribute to the future sustainability of a local service and continue to meet the needs of families living in the Sillogue neighbourhood.
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The nursery was built by Glenman Corporation at a cost of e1.4m. Funding was provided by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and Pobal.
Ballymun Regeneration Ltd, acting as agent for Dublin City Council, donated the land, part-funded the design and construction of the building, and coordinated the contract.
The original nursery opened in 1971. It was the first full day nursery in the Sillogue area and it had capacity for 10 children. However, as the number of families requiring childcare grew over the following decades the old prefab building struggled to accommodate up to 56 children.
Philip Maguire, Managing Director, Ballymun Regeneration Ltd and Assistant City Manager, Dublin City Council said the new building was badly needed.
“This brand new building is a great example of a partnership approach to developing and implementing community based services,
? he added.
“The early consultation processes between the nursery management board, the HSE and BRL during 2005 determined that the service should remain local to Sillogue.
“This would ensure that the children benefiting from the existing service could be sustained. In the spirit of partnership DCC secured the site and the facility was designed by the architect team in BRL.
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