It will be bigger and more expensive.  Plans for Oskaloosa’s early childhood center were discussed at Tuesday’s (9/10) Oskaloosa School Board meeting.  Board member Carl Drost said the building, which was originally scheduled to be 68,000 square feet and cost $19 million dollars, will now be 88,000 square feet and cost $29 million dollars—over 50 percent more.  Drost talks about the changes in the early childhood center design.

“The design now is for the future generations of Oskaloosa and really meets the needs of the people today and what it will be in the future.  We made the classrooms a little bit larger, there’s racquetball courts and the facility was just made larger.  Instead of minimum requirement, it was made more than just adequate.”

Drost added that he feels the community will accept the new design and higher price tag.  As for where the additional ten million dollars will come from, Drost said “the groundwork has been laid.”  Full details about the plans for the Oskaloosa early childhood center will be revealed at Monday’s (9/16) Oskaloosa City Council meeting.