Crisis nursery gets land lease

At its meeting Monday night, Springfield City Council approved both a rezoning request and a lease agreement for a 1.5-acre tract at 2750 W. Bennett St. for the Junior League of Springfield’s new Crisis Nursery.

The nursery’s goal is to house children, up to age 12, whose families are in temporary crisis. The result, according to Junior League spokeswoman Stephanie Montgomery, is that fewer children have to be sent to foster homes because of home problems that are only temporary.

The land, currently owned by the Springfield-Greene County Park Board, will be leased for 25 years to Crisis Nursery of the Ozarks Inc., a not-for-profit organization.

Junior League volunteers will staff the facility, according to Montgomery, who addressed council last night. She said the project is part of Junior League’s continuing effort to provide needed services to the community.

“The Junior League of Springfield is committed to ensuring that children have the opportunities and services essential to their physical, intellectual, emotional, mental and social growth, and will advocate to see that such opportunities are provided,” Montgomery said.

Councilwoman Sheila Wright said the issue has hit home with many of her constituents.

“I cannot think of anything that has come before council – and I’ve been on council for 11 years now – where I’ve had more people come up to me and tell me what a positive thing this is for our community,” she said.

The 9,000-square-foot facility will house up to 20 children. Montgomery said the group hopes to break ground next month and have the facility operational by April 2007.

See SBJ’s Aug. 28 issue for more from the City Council meeting.