The sight of laughing children, playing with multi-colored blocks or building sand castles makes it hard to notice pieces of stucco that have crumbled off the walls at the UNM Child Care Center.
The sounds of laughter and squeaky swing sets coming from the playground make it hard to hear the hum of a nearby fan that is used to help keep one of the classrooms cool - something the old air-conditioner cannot do by itself.
But Monica Martinez, an 18-year employee of the center, said it is not hard to see that the center is in desperate need of renewal.
"The building is falling apart," Martinez said, who is manager of operations at the 31-year-old center. "It's getting to a point where it's not safe, so it's crucial to replace it. The building has no foundation, the floors are starting to buckle in some areas - it was never meant to last so long."
Martinez is talking about a portable building, which was installed in 1983 to be used temporarily. However, the building is still being used today. She said she has waited years for what will finally happen today - a groundbreaking ceremony will commence a $3.5 million dollar project to replace the old building.
The project is funded by UNM System Revenue Bond Proceeds and, when finished, will result in a 25,600 square-foot space. To celebrate the long-waited event, Congresswoman Heather Wilson, R-N.M., and other UNM officials and guests will gather at the anticipated site.
"It's been a long wait," Martinez said, standing above some of the mismatched linoleum tiles on the floor of the old building. "I won't believe it's there until I can smell the carpet."
When finished, Martinez said the new space will provide better service to the UNM community. Students in particular will benefit from the project - 85 percent of the children at the center are the children of UNM students. She said a very long waiting list will hopefully get shorter, too. Though about 60 infants are now on a waiting list, Martinez said only 10 full-time spaces for infants are available at the day-care center.
"When it's done, two things will happen," she explained. "Instead of taking in 10 full-time babies, I could take 20 full-time babies. It has the potential to double enrollment. I'll have more to do, I'll have more staff."
Nine-year-old Tyler Thomas has been going to the center so long, he cannot remember exactly when he started going there. He said he does know, however, that he has made plenty of friends during his time at the center and has caught plenty of lizards in the playground.
"The buildings are getting kind of old," Thomas said. "We'll probably get new equipment - it will be more fun," Thomas said, who also likes to build forts in the playground with some of his friends.
Though some of the buildings are old, many parents seem to say that has no effect on the care their children get.
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"I think it's great," Tami Thomas, Tyler's mom, said of the groundbreaking. "I wish I had more kids to go to it."
Elena Aguirre, director of UNM Child Care, said when the project is finished, the early childhood development program now at the College of Education will relocate to the new site. Though the building will be new, other key elements of the program will remain the same and the center will continue to care for the children of UNM students, faculty and staff.
Aguirre said that in the new building, she will also see the reality of her hopes and dreams.
"I never thought the building would happen in my lifetime," Aguirre said. "It's exciting. What excites me is that people on campus are beginning to see child care as an important service offered to students. When I first started working here, people didn't believe that."
The groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 11:30 a.m. today at the UNM Child Care Center located at 1210 University Blvd. The project architect is Gregory T. Hicks and Associates.
