HOWLAND Crews begin project at kids rehab center

New construction will give physical and occupational therapy more space.
HOWLAND -- Crews broke ground Thursday on a project that will nearly double the size of Children's Rehabilitation Center.
The three-phase project is expected to be completed by June 2004. The first phase is a 6,000-square-foot addition west of the existing facility.
Phase two is renovation of the existing facility, and the final phase is demolition of a residential unit that's attached to the center and new construction of an east wing.
The new construction and renovation will give physical therapy and occupational therapy much more space at the Howland-Wilson Road center.
A large, multi-purpose area, two additional classrooms and a community meeting room also will be constructed.
Architects for the project are Baker, Bednar & amp; Associates, and Jack Gibson Construction is construction manager.
"It is exciting to see the community come together to support this project that will benefit our children," said Bob Foster, executive director. "We continue to have record enrollments and look forward to the challenge of serving more kids through this expansion."
Past, present, future
The Children's Rehabilitation Center began as a project by the Rotary Club of Warren in 1951 and evolved into the Trumbull County Society for Crippled Children in 1957, with participation of the Niles Rotary Club.
The center moved to Howland-Wilson Road in 1969 and last was expanded in 1982.
CRC offers physical, occupational and speech therapy and day care to more than 500 children each year, regardless of their parents' incomes. It receives funding from United Way and Trumbull County Lifelines.
The project may be followed online at www.childrensrehab.org.
Contributions may be made to Children's Rehabilitation Center, c/o CRC Expansion Project, 885 Howland-Wilson Road N.E., Warren 44484.