A new daycare centre will open in Isolahti in 2028

The new daycare centre will be built on a plot adjacent to Isolahti School, which currently houses an ice hockey rink, among other things. The timber-structured daycare centre will be a single-storey building.

The new daycare centre will have eight child groups, with a total of 150 children. Each group will have its own section, consisting of three distinct spaces: a larger group room, a play and rest room, and a small group space. In addition, each group will have its own foyer, hallway, and bathroom facilities.

Children under 3 years old will eat in their group’s designated space. Special attention will be paid to the acoustics of the building.

Law defines group sizes and the required number of staff

The size of the child groups and the number of staff are regulated by the Act on Early Childhood Education and Care. The maximum group size for older children is 21 children, and the maximum group size for younger children, under 3 years of age, is 12 children.

– The children are not all together in one large space; instead, they are divided into smaller groups where they can feel safe and receive individual attention. A pedagogical plan will be created for all new daycare centres, supporting the children’s diverse needs and their safety, says Anna Buss, Director of Early Childhood Education and Care.

In addition to the group-specific spaces, the building will also include shared areas such as a dining room, a gym room, a workshop, and a multimedia room. Some of the shared spaces will also be available for use by local residents in the evenings.

Additional much-needed early childhood education and care places for Gerby and Isolahti

There is currently, and will continue to be, a shortage of early childhood education and care places in the Gerby and Isolahti areas, but this will be addressed with the addition of the new daycare centre.

The new Isolahti daycare centre will have one entirely new group for 21 children. In addition, seven existing daycare groups will move to the new building.

The new daycare centre will replace Omenalehto daycare (2 groups) and Leipuri daycare (1 group). In addition, two pre-primary education groups currently operating at Isolahti School and four groups from the rented units at Metsäkallio daycare will move to the new facility.

Timber structure reduces carbon footprint

The project costs are approximately €8.2 million.

The new daycare centre will be built with a low carbon footprint and lifecycle sustainability in mind. At the same time, the aim is to ensure energy efficiency, as well as the building’s longevity and usability. The daycare centre will have a timber structure, helping to reduce the carbon footprint of construction. Moreover, five percent of all the building materials used in the project will be reused.

The Board of Basic Education approved the project plan for the Isolahti daycare centre at its meeting on 12 March 2025. During the spring, the project plan will be presented to the City Board and the City Council for approval.