March 19, 2024

Child care center to open at former Cardinal Hills location

Center part of effort to open full-service med spa

A new child care center is opening at the former Cardinal Hills Pro Shop. The Gingerbread House Preschool and Childcare Center will serve children from ages six weeks to five years who are not enrolled in school. No start date is set yet, but an open house will be announced soon.

Along with the child care center, a full-service med spa is being planned for the clubhouse, 601 W. 12th St. S.

“We wanted to offer hourly daycare for the women with little kids (who come to the spa),” said Dr. Connie Ertl, one of the principles in the new venture.

After crunching the numbers, Ertl found that opening an entire child care center would make more sense financially then having child care providers available at all times with no guarantee of children.

“After some research, it became apparent that there was definitely a need for quality child care in the Newton area,” Ertl said.

The pro shop that will hold the center is currently being rented from Bill Talsma. Since the building needed a remodel to house the childcare center, furniture and other supplies are still being shipped, which is holding up the start date.

“Staff has been hired and spots are already filling,” Ertl said. “We expect to be full by opening day.”

The former Newton Country Club was sold at auction for $475,000 in October of 2013 to Bill and GeorgeAnne Talsma of Newton from Mark Davis of RJDJAD Golf LLC. Davis had purchased it in the spring of 2012 for $300,000 through a foreclosure sale.

Contact Staff Writer Jamee A. Pierson at (641) 792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com.