Child day care offered to
township, schools employees
BY ELAINE VAN DEVELDE
Staff Writer
EDISON — Area business, education and municipal leaders have banded together to become better neighbors.
Barely two weeks ago, on April 2, Heller Industrial Parks, which fronts the NJ Turnpike, pulled the plug on bright lights, which became bothersome beacons to area neighbors. The darkening came after neighbors and officials complained that the two 400-watt fixtures, which illuminated the industrial park’s signs, advertising space for lease at the 8.5 million-square-foot facility dimmed their quality of life.
Since the situation has been quelled by some welcome darkness, the park’s higher-ups have come up with an idea, in cooperation with school district and governing body officials, to further enhance a good neighbor reputation the company said it has enjoyed for 30 years. Heller will open the doors of its John Kenney Child Care Center, which usually restricts clients to employees of the park, to township school and municipal employees.
"We want to continue to be the good neighbor we feel we have been in Edison for 30 years," Heller President Jeffrey Milanaik said of the light issue.
In light of that sentiment, Mayor George Spadoro, Township Council President Bob Diehl and schools Superintendent Vincent Capraro joined with Heller principals and others on April 15 to announce the makings of a new program to open up Kenny Child Care to those outside the park.
"I think this is great news for Edison-working parents," Sapdoro said. "I hope they take advantage of this renowned child care facility located right here in Edison."
In amending its charter, care center now officially allows children residing outside of Edison to be enrolled in the center, as long as they are children of school of government employees. Until then, enrollment at the private nonprofit organization was restricted to the children of tenants and employees of the Industrial Park and Edison residents.
The operation of the center is partially subsidized by Isaac Heller, chairman of the board of Heller Industrials Parks.