Orange County commissioners approve funding day care barriers

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — On April 9, 2014, a car crashed into an Orange County day care, killing 4-year-old Lily Quintus.

Now, the KinderCare facility has erected a crash protection barrier and Orange County commissioners made sure Tuesday that other local day cares are eligible for a barrier.

An ordinance, which has been in the works since September, will require new and remodeled day cares to have protective barriers in place before they open.

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The ordinance would put the requirement on certain new day cares, but generally would not affect existing facilities, unless those facilities expand their building or play areas in which children are present.

The county labeled 116 day cares as "at risk," using the following criteria: the speed limit on the roads on which they are located, the amount of daily traffic, and the day care building's proximity to the road.

“I think the ones on Pine Hills Road should be the ones to get it first due to the fact of all the accidents we have already had on this road,” said Shaquawnna Benjamin, who runs Ruby’s Little Creations Childcare, one of the 116 day cares on the county’s list.

There are nearly 30 day cares labeled as "at risk" on Pine Hills Road.

While the ordinance does not expressly require barriers for existing day cares, it would provide up to $10,000 in funding during the 2017-2018 fiscal year if owners wish to install them at their facilities. Some barriers could cost up to $35,000.

Benjamin's day care could qualify for the $10,000 payment if the ordinance is passed, but until then, she said, she puts her car in front of the building as a makeshift barrier.

The money would be paid directly to the contractor installing the barriers and would not be available for franchise day cares.

Cox Media Group