Osan City Opens Fifth Location of Together Growing Center

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Osan City held an opening ceremony for the "Together Growing Center, 5th Location," an Osan-style all-day childcare facility, on the 16th at Osan City Zae 1st Complex Apartment.

The opening ceremony was attended by approximately 60 people, including Osan Mayor Kwak Sang-wook, Osan City Council Chairman Jang In-soo, the superintendent of Hwaseong-Osan Office of Education, executives of Osan City Zae 1st Complex Apartment, children, parents, and local residents.

The Together Growing Center, 5th Location, is staffed by one center director and three part-time childcare teachers. The facility has an area of 131.38 square meters with a capacity of 40 children.

Created in vacant space within the apartment provided free of charge by residents, the facility operates from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. during the school year and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. during school breaks. Any elementary school student in need of childcare can use the facility regardless of income level, as long as capacity allows.

Construction was completed in early this year with operations scheduled to begin in March; however, due to COVID-19, only emergency childcare services have been provided in the interim.

Osan Mayor Kwak Sang-wook said, "I congratulate the opening of the 5th location, and we will make greater efforts to build an Osan-style all-day childcare 'Together Growing' ecosystem so that all children in Osan can grow up safely and healthily."

He added, "Going forward, as a leading childcare region, we will actively respond to childcare demands and work to create a childcare environment where children, parents, and communities can all grow together."