$131,206 grant will include new base for Parent-Child Center
RUTLAND—The Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) has awarded Rutland Economic Development Corporation (REDC) a subgrant of $131,206 to develop a health and education center that will house the Rutland County Parent-Child Center (RCPCC). The RCPCC currently operates at 16 Chaplin Ave., but will have a single base once the project is complete.
“This is one of many projects funded by the State’s Brownfield clean-up fund,” said Michael Schirling, Secretary of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, “one that will strengthen both the greater Rutland community and the families that RCPCC serves.”
The designated brownfield site for the project is 16 Chaplin Ave. in Rutland, which began as a residential dwelling in the early 1900s and then was used for various businesses and facilities until finally the site was acquired by the RCPCC in 2012. The site’s numerous uses throughout the years has led to contamination in the soil, and the RCPCC has been working with Rutland Economic Development Corporation to plan and execute redevelopment and renovation with funding from the ACCD.
“Rutland Economic Development Corporation is pleased to support our Rutland County Parent Child Center through the process. The RCPCC is a critically important resource that supports our children, families and workforce,” said Tyler Richardson, Executive Director of REDC.
Remediation work is soon coming and includes isolating contaminated soils and installing a sub-slab depressurization system for the existing vacant building. The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has granted an additional $67,000 to fund remediation work. Once complete, the site will be completely habitable and safe again to repurpose.
Through the RCPCC, families can access the Children’s Integrated Services—Early Intervention (CIS-EI) System, which is an early-intervention system for children from birth to 3 years old with special health needs or delays in development. The RCPCC also runs a Learning Together program that supports pregnant and parenting teens to earn high school diplomas, receive prenatal care, and learn about healthy lifestyles through cooking classes and physical activities.
“The Rutland County Parent Child Center is grateful for the opportunity to build its 2Gen Whole Family Education Center. This multi-dimensional community space will provide comprehensive wrap-around services to families in Rutland including high-quality early childhood education, career pathways for adults, and a shared space for an array of community groups, classes, meetings and social events for families,” said Mary Zigman, executive director of the RCPCC.
The RCPCC, one of 15 parent-child centers is located throughout Vermont, is a community-based, private non-profit organization whose mission is to nurture children, youth and families through supportive and positive educational experiences that enhance their success in the community.
