Lighted Way in LaSalle is moving into a new home for the 2023-24 school year.
The children’s development center has been at its 941 6th St. location since 1963. It was a two-story house with a detached garage that underwent five building additions throughout Lighted Way’s use of the space.
They are now upgrading from 10,000 square feet to 33,000 square feet at their new home, the former Heritage Health nursing home located at 1445 Chartres St. in LaSalle. The school’s new building gives them more space, and they no longer have to have a “cafe-gym-atorium,” a combination of a cafeteria, gymnasium and auditorium. The new Lighted Way will have larger classrooms, a large kitchen for cooking demonstrations, a playground designed by the therapy team and more sensory rooms.
The bigger space will allow Lighted Way to service even more students with unique needs, according to Lighted Way Executive Director Jessica Kreiser.
Lighted Way is having an open house at their new facility on Sat. Aug 5. Tours will be offered from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m., and a dedication ceremony will be held at 10 a.m.