Once upon a time, there was a man in Morinville who wanted to build a place where the children of the small town could come and let their imaginations run wild. That man, retired developer Robert Chauvet has finally made his dream – and theirs – come true.
After months of meticulous and whimsical construction, the Fable Daycare is now on the verge of opening. Certainly, the fine people have been admiring the building’s crooked chimneys and steep gable roof.
“Everything is set up… it’s all laid out and ready to go,” Chauvet said. “The interior is as enchanting as the outside.”
The $2.5 million development has approximately 500 square metres of floor space on the main level plus an additional 130 square metres upstairs. As spacious as it is, what really stands out are the details, which include fable-based murals and kid-sized doors and windows.
With all of the interior finished, he said that all that’s left is to complete the landscaping, which is intended to include a river with a bridge and a 10-foot waterfall.
“We want to go quite elaborate on the landscaping,” Chauvet continued, adding that it will turn into a kind of tourist attraction for the town as well.
The centre is going to be operated by Our House Child Care Centre. Co-owner/operator Ellise Johnson is just as excited for opening day as the kids are. She, along with partner Bonnie Provost, has been working with Chauvet on the themes of each room.
“It’s pretty incredible. I think it’s a great thing to add to Morinville. It’s going to draw a lot of attention to our community. I think that’s really great,” she said.
She said that Our House was anticipating to receive its operating license by today.
She anticipates that there would be up to 90 children registered at any one time, a number that they are already approximately halfway to reaching. The facility will also employ 15 childcare workers.
“Morinville is growing so we are anticipating both centres to eventually fill up. It seems to be quite a need now in Morinville. There’s a lot of development happening.”
One thing is for certain: they will all live happily ever after. People who wish to register their children should call Our House at 780-572-2882.
