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August 20, 2012
Island Bay, Wellington, New Zealand - New Zealand based Aubert Childcare Center will be forced to shut its doors forever because of the high cost to replace the asbestos roof. Owned and operated by the Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion, more commonly known as the Sisters of Compassion, decided that the organization will be unable to pay for a roof replacement after the asbestos was discovered several months ago.
The decision to forgo replacing the roof was not easy said Sister Margaret Anne Mills, Chairwoman of the Mother Aubert Home of Compassion Trust Board. The expense included removing and replacing the asbestos roof, a reassessment of insurance costs and a critical report on the structure's earthquake viability.
Though the Aubert Childcare Center originally served orphaned children, in its recent iteration, it became an early childhood education center. From as young as 8 months, all the way up to 5 years old, the Aubert Childcare Center currently educates 50 young students.
For buildings constructed during the middle of the last century, using asbestos in roofs was commonplace. Asbestos was not only a cheaper alternative to other building material, it was fireproof, waterproof and soundproof, depending on how it was manufactured. Though asbestos is a part of a naturally occurring set of minerals, it is highly carcinogenic and lethal. Exposure to friable or airborne asbestos particles can lead to mesothelioma cancer, asbestosis and lung cancer.
It is unclear where the children the Aubert Childcare Center currently serves will go, whether there is a viable alternative in the community that could meet the needs of the students, and what will happen to the facility once the doors are shut.
At this time it is unknown whether public or private support could be raised to keep the Aubert Childcare Center open. Further, it is also unknown whether the Sisters of Compassion have sought outside support.
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