In a sudden turn of events, the Waterman Early Learning Academy in Lake County has announced its impending closure set for January 10, following a steep hike in rental costs imposed by the building's owner, AdventHealth. Parents have been left with barely a fortnight to find new daycare options, as detailed in a letter they received last Sunday. According to an interview with Kerry Oquendo on ClickOrlando, the news came as a "shock," leaving families distressed. Kerry expressed the emotional toll, saying, "I’ve been crying a lot. Lots of headaches. Just dread in the pit of my stomach knowing we have to find someone to take care of her and go through the process of handing her off to a stranger again."
The daycare's predicament began after AdventHealth informed the Academy's CEO that rent would increase almost tenfold, from $1,500 to $14,000 monthly. This and rising operational costs have made it untenable for the center to continue operations in its current location. In response to the situation, AdventHealth commented, as detailed by ClickOrlando, "While we are not involved with operations or decisions on behalf of the daycare, we fully empathize with the concerns raised by families." They have also mentioned their efforts to actively work with the daycare's operations team and provide below-market rent while the academy searched for alternate locations.
The desperation among parents is echoing throughout Lake County. WESH detailed the story of Linda Cruz, who was given only two weeks' notice that her daughter's daycare would be closing. "That day, it was like my whole world just. I got devastated," Cruz said. She further highlighted the direness of the situation by emphasizing the lack of immediate availability at other centers, saying, "I know there's some day cares around, but it's a list waiting list for them, so it's not going to be right away a spot for her." Most parents using the facility are AdventHealth employees, and the same entity is raising the building's rent.
