The Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) has announced plans to expand the Yetta Nathan ECD Centre at the existing multi-purpose community facility in Orlando West.
The extension on behalf of the Department of Social development is part of the city’s plan to go green and build the state of the art resource-efficient green building.
The new centre will feature modern childhood development facilities which include classrooms, play spaces, indoor and outdoor ancillary spaces like kitchens, libraries, and toy stores.
“The construction will be in two phases. The first phase is expected to start this month with completion after eight months and phase two to begin on November 01,” said Cllr Belinda Echeozonjoku, the Member of the Mayoral Committee for Development Planning.
The external portions of the buildings will consist of safe playing spaces and an agricultural component.
The lower ground facility features a 17m² aqua farm area to allow hydroponic farming, a soil-less, water-based farming process which is a greener approach to agricultural production.
Speaking at the recent soil-turning ceremony at the centre, Health and Social Development MMC, Cllr Ashley Sauls said, “I trust that the new Yetta Nathan ECD and Community Centre will enhance the good work done at this facility. It is encouraging that the main objective of this centre is to provide inclusive developmental programmes to children ages nought to five.”
The Yetta Nathan ECD training centre, which dates back to the Second World War, eventually became a crèche in 1953. It became the City of Johannesburg’s first early childhood development centre in 2003.
