MADAWASKA, Maine — In a region with little options for childcare, Madawaska is proposing its own town-run daycare center to fill the needs of working parents.
The St. John Valley area in particular has limited childcare options. According to the Maine Child Care Search, there are 10 programs within 30 miles of Madawaska, but the town has only one daycare facility. Others are located in Fort Kent and Van Buren, both a half-hour from Madawaska.
The concept would relocate the town gym and bring daycare closer to home, cutting travel time for parents and potentially attracting new residents. It would also become one of just a few municipally run childcare facilities in the state, one of which is in Augusta.
“The intent of both of these projects is to pay for themselves, so we can offer services without affecting your tax bill,” said Kristen Henry, Madawaska economic and community development director.
The plan would bring the daycare center to the Madawaska Middle/High School, which also houses a community fitness center. The gym would then be relocated to a space in the former Kmart building in the midtown plaza.
Fort Kent businessman Steve Pelletier bought the building in 2024. The town is currently negotiating a lease agreement with Pelletier for the gym space.
Both projects are in early phases, so cost estimates are not yet available, but officials want to ensure the plan doesn’t result in any tax increases. They plan to seek funding through a combination of grants, corporate sponsorships and revenue generated from gym memberships and parents.
Located in the school building, the daycare center could also be a part of a larger collaboration.
The Madawaska School Department and neighboring MSAD 33 in Frenchville have discussed joining together prior to the start of a new school project. The St. John Valley Tech Center, also in Frenchville, could work with the new daycare as part of a hybrid program.
The idea has only been broached in preliminary conversations, but Henry said the collaboration makes sense for both parties.
The daycare would include four rooms altogether and serve children up to 5 years old.
Two public information sessions this week at the gym and the former Kmart building drew about half a dozen residents. Madawaska also published results of surveys for both the fitness center and childcare facility. Both had 171 total responses as of Wednesday, with 63% supporting the new gym and 21% reporting that they either have or will have childcare needs.
Responses said the gym’s biggest need is cardio equipment, and the most significant barrier to entry is the cost. For childcare, 20% also said finding affordable care is a major challenge, but worst of all, there are no spots available in the area.
Residents wondered whether the new gym would have the same equipment as the current one and what would happen if the building owner sells the building. Some requested a life coach to work with members.
The town is exploring a long-term lease that would lay out costs well in advance and prevent any surprises, Madawaska Town Manager David Daigle said. For him, the ideal long-term goal would be to see the gym expand to the point where it attracts people from well beyond the town’s borders.
As far as what would happen if the owner sells the building, Daigle said the town is planning ahead for the next five years but can’t plan for the longer term.
Completion would take at least a year and a half because the process involves waiting on grant funding, as well as hiring engineers and designers to help create the space.
The childcare center will address a critical need in the community while enticing parents of young children to move to the area, Daigle said. Sponsorships from local companies, for example, would allow businesses to create plans for their employees and entice potential hires with children to move to the area with their families.
“The childcare facility is the fundamental building block for growing this community,” Daigle said. “Everything revolves around that, because as a state we’re not doing that well with affordable childcare availability. And this facility will help engage that population that might consider moving here.”