With childcare at a premium in Kitsap, provider lands state grant to fuel expansion

PORT ORCHARD — Billy Sedgwick, 4, has been going to the Treetop Village Early Learning Center in Bremerton since he was 8 weeks old. When his family bought a house in Port Orchard, Sedgwick's mom, Kari Jones, couldn't find a suitable daycare center closer to home. That results in an additional 90 minutes or more commuting when she leaves work in Gig Harbor, heads to Bremerton's east side to pick up her son, and returns home.

"I could not find another daycare in Port Orchard that I even wanted to think about bringing my son to. And so I make the drive from Port Orchard to Bremerton and then to Gig Harbor for work. And then after work, I have to fight through shipyard traffic in order to go pick him up," Jones said.

Saving at least an hour of driving after work could help a lot. And seeing that type of desperate need for more daycare centers in the community that could help parents like Jones is why Treetop founder Katie Hudkins decided to open a second location in Port Orchard.

Besides, infant care is Hudkins' passion.

"I love babies," Hudkins said. "And we need to have more infant care."

According to Tacoma-based nonprofit Child Care Aware of Washington, the number of childcare providers in Kitsap County has dropped from 137, with a capacity for 4,867 children, in 2019 to 131 providers with a capacity for 5,365 children by last December. The nonprofit said that the trend of fewer providers and more capacity being available at large centers has contributed to "childcare deserts" as the number of childcare locations has decreased.

16 classrooms, a play cafe, outdoor playground, and community room

There are two phases for Treetop Village's Port Orchard location. The first phase will welcome 36 babies from 4 weeks to 12 months old in four classrooms and Hudkins expects to open it next month. The second phase will include 12 classrooms prepared for about 300 children aged 1 to 12 years old, she said.

There will be a play cafe area and a community room set up for various social or community events, such as birthday parties, movie nights or spaces for dance classes. Outside the building, Hudkins plans to build a playground with green, fall-resistant rubber matting, she said.

Hudkins said the second phase is estimated to open in early summer.

The 30,000-square-foot building, formerly occupied by QFC and more recently, Crunch Fitness, on Village Lane and south of Mile Hill Drive is nearly twice the size of the Treetop Village on Wheaton Way in Bremerton.

"There's not a lot of infant care in specifically Port Orchard," Hudkins said. "Thirty-six babies is a lot, but we know the community has a lot more than 36 babies that are needing care. So, even though we're providing that care, we know that there's still a need after that."

In March, Treetop Village received $450,000 from the Washington State Department of Commerce's Early Learning Facilities grants as the only organization, among the 42 receivers, from Kitsap County.

"That's gonna help us tremendously, financially," said Hudkins.

The owner is excited to enter and be involved with the Port Orchard community, Hudkins said.

More: East Bremerton child care center to fill unmet demand

"This community is really welcoming. They are so excited. They are waiting for us to open and be a part of it. So just the community itself, I'm excited to be able to offer their childcare as well as be a community partner," Hudkins said.

So far, 15 families have signed up for the new location, and parents interested can go to the center's website to sign up for a waitlist, Hudkins said.

With the new location coming soon, Jones — her son is the first one on the waitlist — can finally say goodbye to those days commuting between Bremerton and Gig Harbor.

"It's gonna be amazing," Jones said.

This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: New daycare in Port Orchard fills Kitsap's growing childcare need