Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 20, 1990 TAG: 9004200070
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GEORGE KEGLEY BUSINESS EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
There's a big need and it will be even greater as more companies bring more employees to the park, said Robert W. Albery, who conceived the plan. Albery is human resources director for BellSouth Communication Systems.
The five companies - BellSouth, Advance Auto, Vitramon, Orvis and Gardner-Denver - have more than 1,250 employees.
As Albery sees it, the city would donate an acre or two of land and a day-care company would pay for the building and run the operation. At least one day-care provider has expressed interest in the idea, he said.
Albery hopes a child-care operation would give a discounted rate to employees in the park. He has talked with Brian Wishneff, city chief of economic development, and he wants to take the plan to City Council.
The city could use the day-care center in its recruiting of industry and the companies could use it in their search for the best employees "and we'd both win," he said.
Albery wants to get an early start on the center to have it ready for the park's planned expansion.
Councilman James Trout, chairman of the city's Economic Development Commission, said he sees no problem with the concept "but it has to be a business venture . . . a satisfactorily financed plan."
The industrial park has "highly sophisticated covenants" that would have to be followed by a day-care provider, Trout said.
Mike Westover, human resources director at Gardner-Denver, said the companies have "wives and husbands who need day care." Nowadays, single men and women bring children to day-care centers, Albery said.
A Honeytree Early Learning Center off U.S. 460 near the park entrance is filled, Albery said.
He said he had the idea six months ago but the plan has "gotten hot" in the past two months.
by CNB