AVC TO KEEP CHILD CENTER OPEN, SHADE PLAYGROUND.

Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer

Antelope Valley College reversed a decision to close their new child care center over the summer after receiving a commitment that state officials would not shut it down for lack of shade, a school dean said Wednesday.

An architect is working on drawings for shade covers for two center playgrounds, which will be sent immediately to the state for review.

While the covers are being installed, the college said it will make sure children are kept out of the construction area and will stay inside during hot days, said Dennis White, dean of Fine Arts, Family and Consumer Education.

State Community Care and Licensing officials have agreed not to close the center if the college meets those conditions, White said.

The covers are expected to cost between $25,000 to $30,000 and will take about two to three weeks to install, college officials said.

College officials wanted the state officials to approve plans for the shade covers in advance of construction. When state officials said they couldn't approve the plans in advance, the college decided to shut it down for the summer.

``There was a potential for the state to close the center,'' White said.

White credited a phone call made by Rebeca Molik, a mother with 6- and 21-month-old boys at the center, for helping clear up the issue with the state.

``This is the citizens' right to question authority and to bypass the bureaucrats,'' White said. ``The parents were able to effect change.''

State officials had no intention of closing the child care center, Molik said. State officials only wanted the college to use common sense in keeping the children out of the heat.

``The bottom line is, I made a call the dean could have made,'' Molik said.

Molik said she was upset the college had planned such a drastic step as closing the center without involving parents in the decision. Molik said she wants to meet with college President Al Kurki and the AVC board of trustees to make sure parents are involved in future decisions regarding the center.

The $1.75 million, 5,400-square-foot center opened its doors in August. The center had handle up to 60 children at a time.

The center is intended to serve as both a child-care center and a learning laboratory for students in the college's Family and Consumer Education Division.