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Naval Station Mayport Breaks Ground on New CDC

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100218-12
Release Date: 2/18/2010 2:30:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sunday Williams, Navy Public Affairs Support Element East, Detachment Southeast

MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- Naval Station (NAVSTA) Mayport Sailors and invited guests participated in a Feb. 9 ground breaking ceremony for the base's new Child Development Center (CDC).

According to ceremony guest speaker and Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert, family readiness is more important now than ever.

"We have effectively been at war for eight years now and there has been a lot of stress on our Sailors, but they have responded magnificently and they are out there getting the job done time and time again both in the joint arena as well as the primary Navy mission, but they can't get it done without the proper support and foundation under them," Greenert said. "The number one issue is child care. It is something we need to get done for the families and we are on the right priority in doing it."

Greenert said by putting the proper programs in place, the Navy will more effectively inform families on how to handle hardships while Sailors are deployed. He also said the right programs result in resilient families which will provide Sailors the foundation they need.

Commander, NAVSTA Mayport Capt. Aaron Bowman agreed that family readiness is a top Navy priority and Mayport's new CDC will relieve some of the pressures families might have, ensuring Sailors are mission focused.

"It does everything for the Sailors when they're deployed because they can focus solely on what they are doing; being safe, doing the mission, knowing that the family is home and being taken care of and everything's happening just right," Bowman said.

In the past, the capacity of the NAVSTA Mayport CDC has been an issue, according to area expectant mother Lindsey Walker. Walker is awaiting an opening at the current CDC, but the new facility will be able to care for more than 200 children.

"My family and I are so excited about the new CDC," she said. "I am looking forward to going back to school while my husband is on deployment and the CDC is close to home. By the time it opens next year my youngest will be one and my oldest will be three and I'll be able to focus on finishing my degree."

The new NAVSTA Mayport CDC will also boast certification and compliance as a Leadership Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building, a program developed in the 1990s by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). This certification system indicates the project meets or exceeds government mandates as well as industry standards.

Buildings can achieve certified silver, gold or platinum designation of LEED compliance, and the Navy requires all construction and major renovation projects to be compliant to LEED silver standards or higher. The new CDC will meet LEED silver.

Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast NAVSTA Mayport Project Manager Shana Love said construction of the new CDC is scheduled for completion in March 2011.