Mosaic reveals Discovery Center name and provides tour
By Chris Fortune
After more than five years of planning and construction, the Mosaic Life Care Foundation peeled more of the curtain back and provided an update on the ongoing project.
Mosaic Life Care Foundation leaders spoke in front of the building at 521 Felix St. Tuesday afternoon and unveiled the inspireU Children’s Discovery Center name. Many at the event had been involved with the foundation in the past.
“We wanted to build on our other foundation project, which is emPowerU, and that is with kids from about 12 up,” inspireU Committee Chair Andrea Robinson said. “So as a precursor to this, we wanted to tie in the ‘U’ idea, but we fully believe that kids will be inspired by what they see inside.”
The tarp covering the name of the Discovery Center fell from the sign before it could be officially revealed, generating laughter from the small crowd that gathered.
“I actually had someone say to me that there will be lots of unexpected things inside that inspire families, so that was a nice tie-in,” Robinson said.
Board members led the visitors on a tour after opening remarks. Construction materials are still spread throughout the building as work continues, but easels carrying renderings of finished rooms helped to visualize what the finished product is expected to look like.
“We’ve talked about everything from mommy and me yoga to healthy cooking classes,” Robinson said. “So there will be lots of diverse opportunities for both children and their caregiver families to learn in the center.”
Ashley Matthias brought her three children, including Camille, on the tour to see what future exhibits may look like. Camille enjoyed learning about the art room and water table exhibit.
“It looks like it’s going to be very fun,” she said.
The foundation is hoping to open the Discovery Center and be fully operational by late November or early December. In August, it was within 10% of reaching its $19 million goal to open debt free.
“We are very close, but we have not conquered that battle yet,” Chairman Todd Joe said. “But we feel very confident by the opening that we will open this Discovery Center debt free and not have any outstanding debt to raise after the fact.”
