Slayton, MN October 1, 2024 — The Wonder World Board of Directors is pleased to announce that the Murray County Commissioners have approved funding requests to support the construction of a new facility.
Two motions were brought to the board - one was a $100,000 forgivable loan from the Murray County Economic Development Authority, which was approved. The other was a request for $900,000 in funding from the county’s undesignated reserve funds. The second motion approved was for $750,000 from the reserves, with encouragement from Commissioners to request an additional $150,000 from ARPA funds. Both motions were contingent on the Wonder World rebuilding project being fully funded, with a target amount of $3.5 million. Both motions sunset on July 31, 2026, which is when the lease for the current Wonder World site ends at St. Ann’s Catholic Church.
The second motion that involves the undesignated reserves was brought forth by Commissioner Lori Gunnink, with Commissioner Molly Malone adding the second. With Commissioners Dave Thiner and Dennis Welgraven opposing the motion, Commission Chair Jackie Meier broke the tie with an affirmative vote.
The proposed new facility would be on land donated by the City of Slayton, where the volleyball courts are currently located next to the pool. It would be licensed for 76 children (16 infants, 21 toddlers, 20 preschoolers, and 20 school-age). The estimated total costs for the 8,600-square-foot building are between $3 and $3.5 million for planning and construction, which includes contingencies. The City of Slayton is also donating redesignated Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds to the project – approximately $200 thousand. They will also provide water and sewer hookup, snow removal, and lawn maintenance as in-kind support.
Other supporters of the rebuild project to date include Jason Kirchner, who provided the new building’s initial floor designs, the Southwest Regional Development Commission (SRDC), which is providing strategic planning and grant writing support, the Southwest Initiative Fund, which is providing consulting and financial assistance, and First Children’s Finance, which is providing financial analysis and additional planning expertise.
The next steps include requesting funds from foundations, the MN DEED Childcare Grant, and congressionally designated funding through the USDA Rural Development Grant. The Wonder World Board is finalizing a strategic plan and getting organized to launch a capital campaign in the community.
With the lease on our current location set to expire in 2026, these funds are critical to ensuring Wonder World can continue to enrich the community through education in a fun, safe environment. The new facility will enable us to expand operations and better meet the needs of our community.
We extend our deepest thanks and appreciation to the County Commissioners and the Murray County EDA for their support and look forward to working closely with them as we begin this exciting new chapter for Wonder World and the community we serve.
