DayCare.... Church?

My dad had to relocate a Kid Center Care a while ago, in order to rent the space they were using in one of his buildings, and him and his partner ended up buying an old church that was closing - poor churches, they have no more meaning for most quebecers - and turn in into a daycare center. While the place was the only place they could find and basically HAD to buy the church, I think this could not have been a better choice. the church itself, for most of people in their 40s, held a very sentimental value, so turning it into a place where their kids will be taken care of sounds sweet. Moreover, the church is situated in the middle of a residential area where many families with kids have moved over the last 5 years. Finally, the building is right on the opposite side of an elementary school: it could not have been better. In the building there will eventually be room for 2 CPE (French naming for Child Daycare) of 70 children, and the front part of the church will accomodate a kid's "park"called Ouistiti, where parents can bring their kids to play in games similar to the ones in big McDonald parks. The latter is going to be independent from the to daycare centers.

I've been wanting to buy a Doll house for sometime. Lika a wooden old-style dollhouse,
so now everytime I see one, whatever the material, I long for my very own. One day........

My dad had to go take picture for the government to approve of the project and issue the permits to open the daycare center so I accompanied him and took a bit of my very own pictures, trying to get the best angles I could. It is very hard to get a feel of a 3D construction from the inside when taking pictures, so I apologize since the images don't look half as nice as the real thing. The construction  really makes a nice contrast.

On the picture above, we can see the unfinished side of the church, one of the two futur daycare. I took this picture to show from the outside, how peculiar the construction will be. My dad's plan were drawn so that the original roof will be maintained as it was, and while each kid's room has its own roof, we can see the original church ceiling when stepping outside, in the corridors. The whole construction has the feel of a Lego house built inside a church. I think it looks awesome. On the picture, this obviously look unfinished however, so whenever it'll be done I'll try to get a nicer view.

I love how the big cross was kept. Not because of the religious feel to it - even though I believe it adds to the magic of the place - but more because of the mixture of old and new, the feel of tradition kept up. It is weird how everything seems to fit, even though the colors are so different from the original and the plan so out of the blues.

View of the interior of one room, still messed up, as the daycare will not open til next week

I really love this staircase. 

This staircase will eventually be the way up to an office, that will have a nice overview of the whole building - well, the two DayCare Centers at least - since there is no proper 'roof' over the top of the corridors. I can't wait until they build this part! They haven't begun the construction of that place yet, as it is not mandatory to the well-functioning of the daycare center. The construction had to be rushed in order to have the permits from the government, so only the essential got done.

Daddy looking weird <3

The only thing that bothers the view now, is this metal pole, within which are hidden some electric cables. They had to go through the room, and they haven't found another way to do it as of now. Finding a better place is one of my daddy's current headache-giving-mission.

Second floor, rooms for the newly born <3 I just love the color choice. They look a bit more intense
than in reality. What we see in real is quite much more like too many greatly closer to pastel colors :)

 On Sunday there will be a sort of 'opening brunch' at the daycare, when everything will be done, cleaned and ready to start. I can't wait to go and see what everything will be like! Makes me want to work there, even if I greatly doubt my ability to stand kids for such long periods of time... oh well.

Again, my favorite part of the place, on another angle. We can see on the right, the metal bar I was talking about earlier

Original doors with cross-shaped windows.

I love how the old building was preserved, while making it anew in a cute way. Two of the three confessional rooms were actually kept intact, while the third one was turned into the electric control chamber (no clue how you call this in English). So there is a feel of tradition kept up.