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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

New child care center was built kid-friendly

Katie Solinsky sets up a table with toys for children Tuesday at the Pacific Park Children’s Center, which she recently opened with partners Mary Brown and Jill Lempka. (CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON / The Spokesman-Review)

From extra padding under the carpets to child-size sinks and toilets, Pacific Park Children’s Center is built to meet the needs of kids.

The 6,200-square-foot child care center recently opened in Spokane’s Indian Trail area. The owners – Katie Solinsky, Mary Brown and Jill Lempka – are sisters, and Solinsky and Brown previously owned and operated a child care center on the South Hill.

The new facility, at 5421 W. Barnes Road in the Sundance Shopping Center, reflects two decades of trying to perfect the experience for kids, from infants through school-age children, Solinsky said.

“We just wanted it to feel bright and open,” she added.

Russell Page was the architect, and Vandervert Construction the builder.

A kitchen for preparing meals and snacks sits in the center of the building, providing service to separate areas for infants, toddlers, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, pre-kindergartners, kindergartners and older children up to age 12.

Details include pinch guards on all doors, low windows so children can see outside, and furniture designed for each age. Outside are separate play areas for younger and older kids.

The center uses a developmental approach, encouraging learning through play and hands-on experience.

Pacific Park can take up to 85 children. It has about half that many after three weeks of operation. The staff so far numbers 10.

Full-time rates range from $650 a month for a kindergartner to $880 a month for an infant.

The center is open 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. Call (509) 328-4595.

‘Green’ more than a name at spa

Green Salon and Day Spa has opened for business on the main level of the Hale Building, at 227 W. Riverside in downtown Spokane.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and on weekends by appointment.

The company uses the name “Green” intentionally, said co-owner Heidi Crow. The building offers inside bicycle parking for customers. Bicyclists even earn at least a 10 percent discount, according to the company’s Web site – greensalonanddayspa.com. Crow’s other partners in the salon are Annie Grieve and Cheryl Lystad.

Cannon House to offer leases

Cannon House, an extended-stay apartment home, at 1802 W. Eighth on Spokane’s South Hill, will soon begin leasing spaces, offering refurbished apartments for long-stay area visitors.

Cannon House is a 100-year-old brick building divided into six furnished apartments on two floors. The building’s owner, Davis/Reeser Development, rebuilt the interior and added 10-foot ceilings, memory foam beds and kitchens.

Prices are $1,050 to $1,500 a month, with an additional cost for use of a seven-space covered garage.

The company is holding an open house on Sept. 18-19. For more information, call (509) 868-9061.

New tenants at business park

Two new businesses have moved into warehouses in the Spokane Business and Industrial Park, 3804 N. Sullivan Road.

FGL Sales Corp., doing business as Oregon Industrial, is taking 4,000 square feet in Building 17.

The company is a general office and warehouse operation.

Montana Stone Gallery LLC, has leased 16,000 square feet in Building 10. The Missoula-based company imports and sells natural stone slabs.

Staff writer Tom Sowa contributed to this report. Here’s the Dirt is a weekly report on new developments and business openings, closings or movement in the Inland Northwest. To suggest a topic, send an e-mail to business@spokesman.com or call (509) 459-5528.