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Labor Of Love

Revamped Children’s Activity Corner To Reopen

From left, volunteers Linda Andrews, Nancy Knee, Sandy Schifano, Michele and Don Constantino, and Jesse Sternberg stand in front of the Children’s Activity Corner in Jamestown. P-J photo by Eric Zavinski

“It’s been a labor of love for everybody,” said Linda Andrews, acting director and president of the board for the Children’s Activity Corner of Jamestown.

Her comment speaks to the efforts of dozens of volunteers over the past year who have helped contribute to the newest family-friendly location that seeks to unite families in play with their children.

The nonprofit originally began as a Tot Spot last summer, a title that now serves as a synonymous nickname for what used to be called the Children’s Museum of Jamestown. For more concise marketing, the Children’s Activity Corner will now serve as the one-stop location for young ones to experience several exhibits in a 5,000 square foot area.

Many of the new items originate from the Explore and More Children’s Museum, formerly located in East Aurora. Since the museum moved to a larger facility along the Buffalo Waterfront, the staff decided to donate a majority of the original exhibits and items to the Children’s Activity Corner in the past month.

“We just were in the right place at the right time,” Andrews said. “It fell in our lap. (Those items) were there 25 years, and people’s kids grew up with it. They were so generous to give (those items) to us.”

Cameron Eimers draws a smiley face on a sequin poster hanging in the Children's Activity Corner located at 14 E. Second St. Submitted photo

The Activity Corner has been closed since March 30 to allow time for renovations and moving in new equipment. Several volunteers helped the Activity Corner expand to four times its original size.

Board member Nancy Knee said she was humbled to receive the majority of the items from the Explore and More location. She mentioned how sentimental staff members were for the exhibits, and volunteers on behalf of the Activity Corner repeated how they would take care of the equipment in a new home.

Further expansion is planned for the Jamestown locale as well. A second floor area, including a gym, could double the already expanded size of the Activity Corner. Not all of the equipment from Explore and More can be used all at once, so some exhibits will rotate out on a regular basis.

“We’re going to do Jamestown and the world,” said Andrews, who had originally planned the Activity Corner as a means to represent local culture. “We have lots of room to expand.”

With additions from Explore and More, there are exhibits that showcase iconic elements of countries from Thailand to the Netherlands. Other exhibits will allow children to explore a mock kitchen and build contraptions with pipes and large, interconnecting wooden blocks.

Once the 501(c)(3) status of the Activity Corner is finalized in months to follow, it will be allowed to collect official community sponsorships from businesses and other entities.

Future goals also include partnering with the James Prendergast Library to make tickets available through the public space, hosting elementary school field trips and employing a dedicated staff to continue operations of the snack bar, exhibits, gift shop and more.

Located at 14 E. Second St., the Activity Corner is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and on Sundays by reservation. Birthday parties, holiday events, special classes and more are offered. Toddlers to 10-year-olds are allowed in the Activity Corner. Admission is $5 per child. For more details, email director@cmjwny.org or call 216-2925.

Follow Eric Zavinski at twitter.com/EZavinski

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