The plans for a new Happy Rock Children's Centre day care has been in the works for some time now in Gladstone, and a quarter of a million dollars has already been raised.

Municipality of Westlake Gladstone mayor David Single says the need is real.

"They're going to build a new day care in Gladstone,"he notes. "The old one is in the hospital, in the basement of the hospital. It's very crowded. Put it this way, if they tried to open a day care now they wouldn't be allowed to because of regulations. They just want a bigger space and a better space."

Single adds the overall cost is expected to be about $650,000 dollars, and the day care is willing to borrow. However, more money still has to be raised. Single says the municipality committed to give $50,000 dollars.

See story of ground breaking from October 2014.