With the sound of the MCC Rebel football team doing drills in the background, a small group of people gathered around a table in the entrance room of the Slaytona Beach pool facility to share information about the new Wonder World facility with Senator Amy Klobuchar.
The purpose of Klobuchar’s visit to Murray County and the city of Slayton was to listen to some of the people who helped turn the idea of a new childcare center into reality.
Wonder World Board Secretary Ashley Haken walked the senator through the events that culminated in the construction of a new childcare center – the preschool losing its lease with the church, the search for a space and funding to build new.
Haken explained that the financing was a community effort – that they had met with the city of Slayton, Murray County EDA and SRDC, and launched a capital campaign to raise the $2.1 million needed.
“This was a passion project for me,” explained Jason Walker of the SRDC. “My wife was pregnant when we found out Wonder World was losing its lease.”
Walker has been very involved in the raising of funds, filling out grants and exploring options.
About an acre of land near the pool was deeded from the city to Wonder World, Slayton City Administrator Josh Malchow told Klobuchar. The city extended sewer and water to the site and used Tax Increment Financing funds from a closing district. Another $300,000 was raised through a donation from a foundation, filtered through Murray County ECI and is ready to be used to- “We have a great team of people, a lot of expertise and a variety of skill sets,” he said.
At the county level, Murray County Commissioner Mark Carlson told the senator that he wants to see the project be successful but also needed to protect taxpayers of the county while adding funding to the project in the form of both forgivable and traditional loans.
“We hold first position on the mortgage in the event that there is a problem,” Carlson said.
Klobuchar told the team she was impressed with their progress, especially at how quickly things had come together.
“Childcare is so important for a community, and this will give you a competitive edge when it comes to bringing in new people,” she said. “This is a great example of how a community can work together.”
Haken provided a construction update that covers seven milestones, starting with preconstruction and ending with the official move anticipated for July of 2027.
“More concrete was poured today,” Haken told the senator. “We should be able to start framing in a couple of weeks.”
Exterior work should begin in the fall, with interior work to be roughed in over the winter. The new facility will be licensed for up to 92 children.
