Groundbreaking moment for the CDC at WPAFB Published May 23, 2024 By By Zion Dillahunt 88th Air Base Wing Chief Master Sgt. Lloyd Morales, 88th Air Base Wing command chief, shovels dirt alongside young children at a groundbreaking event at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, May 13, 2024. The ceremonial groundbreaking was to initiate the construction of a new child development center on base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Daniel Peterson) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res WRIGHT- PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Base officials, engineers, and key stakeholders joined together for the official groundbreaking ceremony for a new Child Development Center on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base on May 13. The new facility aligns with Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. David W. Allvin’s, April 15, 2024 letter to Airmen ensuring that childcare support for service members would be enhanced. “Strength through support is our motto,” Col. Travis Pond, deputy commander of the 88th Air Base Wing said. “There is nothing better you can do than to support the Airman and their families.” Col. Travis Pond, 88th Air Base Wing deputy commander, gives opening remarks at a groundbreaking event at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, May 13, 2024. The ceremonial groundbreaking was to initiate the construction of a new child development center on base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Daniel Peterson) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res This development project is headed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer, and represents a collaborative effort between the 88th Civil Engineer Group, 88th Force Support Squadron, Air Force Civil Engineer Center and the Dayton Development Coalition. The center will be a 41,000 square-foot building with the ability to serve over 300 additional children ranging from six weeks to five years old. “This will increase our capacity by more than 30 percent,” Nancy Adams, 88 FSS deputy director said. “To do that with a single facility is significant.” Upon completion, 100 children will be moving from Wright Care CDC located in the off-base Prairies Housing area to the new on-base facility. Future benefits of the new Child Development Center include being environmentally responsible by integrating a daylight harvesting system that dynamically regulates artificial lighting in response to natural sunlight entering through windows. This innovative system aims to diminish the building's energy consumption during operation while harnessing the health advantages of natural light. Rep. Michael Turner (center), Ohio’s 10th congressional district, shovels dirt alongside 88th Air Base Wing leadership at a groundbreaking event at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, May 13, 2024. The ceremonial groundbreaking was to initiate the construction of a new child development center on base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Daniel Peterson) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res An additional on base project awaiting funding is a combined school-age care center. The facility could also serve more than 300 children between the ages of six weeks and 12 years. “The current schedule projects the pre-school facility completing in the first half of fiscal year 2026,” James Levy, Chief of Customer Planning in the 88 CEG said. “The second facility is not yet awarded. We anticipate awarding the CDC for school-age care before the first facility is complete.” This center's ripple effect extends beyond the children; it's a catalyst for positive change in the community. First, the center will provide service members with the comfort of on-base childcare. This will enable service members to focus wholeheartedly on their missions. Second, the center will create numerous employment opportunities within the 88 FSS. “These are state-of-the-art high-quality facilities that will respond to the needs of service members, “Congressman Mike Turner said. “These are our families too and by providing facilities like this we will help make a difference in their quality of life.” For more information about Wright-Patterson Child Development Centers, go to https://www.wrightpattfss.com/child-development-center.