The Great Bend City Council Monday night heard the groundbreaking for the new group daycare center at 4507 Farmers Plaza Lane will take place next month. This is a project of Advancing Barton County Childcare Inc., an offshoot of Great Bend Economic Development Inc.

“Man, we’re excited to say that we’re going to start seeing some really great progress with this,” said GBED President Sara Arnberger, addressing the council Monday. “The first ABCC Center here in Great Bend is looking for June groundbreaking.”

The after the requests for qualifications process and they interview process. Icon Structures of Wichita  was chosen as the project’s construction manager at risk. They will be putting out public bid requests for subcontractors by mid to late May. 

The project architect is GMLV Architects of Wichita.

“And then also we will be interviewing for the site director position at the end of May as well,” she said.

The property was purchased from Farmers Enterprises Inc. by ABCC. The site, located across from the 10th Street-K-96 junction, is currently vacant.

The facility will be a 501c3 non-profit under the umbrella of GBED. The facility will provide services for 59 children, and they hope to start teaching children next spring.

The cost will be about $1.2 million.

In 2021, ABCC, in partnership with the Golden Belt Community Foundation, received a Community Service Tax Credit Program grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce. In addition, the City of Great Bend (through economic development funds) and Barton County and contributed, along with private donors, have kicked in money.

The ABCC board plans to continue their efforts to add more childcare facilities in Barton County in the future.