The fenced-off play area on the Portland campus that used to be filled with children laughing and playing is now empty and quiet. All that remains is a covered sandbox, an old play house, and blank spot where the swingset used to be.
Last February, to balance last year’s state curtailment of $2.7 million, The University announced that the USM Child and Family Centers and the Lifeline Center for Health and Wellness would both be cut. The Child and Family Centers were closed Friday, Aug. 14. The daycare employed 25 staff members who cared for 88 children of students, faculty, staff, and the public. At Lifeline, 20 employees lost their jobs, and 500 members were invited to join the main gym at the Sullivan Complex.
“Parents and employees had to scramble to find new child care programs and new employment while some still haven’t found a replacement,” said Lori Moses, former director at the Child and Family Centers. “Many parents want accredited programs which often have long waiting lists,” she added.
According to Moses, the playground equipment was sold, but she didn’t know what was planned for the actual playground. USM students have mentioned a desire for a community garden or a permanent outdoor luncheon area but its future is still undetermined.
“The playground equipment on the Portland campus was sold about a week after the child center was closed,” said Bob Caswell, executive director of Public Affairs.
Caswell said the equipment was sold to another daycare. The equipment on the Gorham campus is still there, he said.
“Employees loved their jobs and some had even been with the Child and Family Center for 25 years,” said Moses. “The staff was in it for the children and families. We provided quality care and quality jobs. It was heartbreaking to see it end.”
“I was on a waiting list for my daughter for five years. The Child and Family Center was in high demand,” said Stephanie Towns, administrative associate in the Communication and Media Studies department.
The Lifeline Center, located in the basement of the James V. Sullivan Recreation and Fitness Complex in Portland was closed on July 31 after 33 years. Lifeline’s objective was to help people, regardless of age or physical circumstance, achieve their health goals.
On the outside, it doesn’t look like the Lifeline Center has changed. The gym equipment is still there, and patrons still work out. But the Lifeline office is empty, and the instructors that former members came to trust and rely on have moved on.
“Most of the Lifeline members still use this gym,” said Jen Oliver, a second year social work graduate student who works at the desk in the gym. “Anyone can use it.”
Jenny Nelson, director of the Sullivan Recreation and Fitness complex said Peter Allen, a past instructor at Lifeline moved on to the Basics Fitness Center in South Portland. He now runs a similar program, also called Lifeline, to accommodate previous and new members.
Another instructor, Patty Medina, who worked at Lifeline for 28 years, started teaching a class at the gym in the Community Center at Redbank Village in South Portland. She now teaches water aerobics classes to seniors at the gym.
Though both programs are now gone and the many people involved have moved on, a feeling of defeat remains among those who loved the programs.
“We were disapointed and tried hard to understand why [cutting the program] was necessary,” said Steve Simonds, a former Lifeline member.?”After many inquiries into why they were cutting the program, we felt we never received a fully satisfactory explanation,” he added.?