Workers prepare a slab of cement at the former Martin's Point Health Care building in Brunswick on Dec. 16. A ceremony was held for the facility on Monday to announce the start of renovations. Kristian Moravec / The Times Record

A crowd gathered on Monday morning in Brunswick to celebrate the start of renovations for a new day care.

Leaders from General Dynamics Bath Iron Works and the Bath-area YMCA thanked supporting entities and highlighted the need to address local child care demand on Dec. 16 as stakeholders for the project gathered for a ceremony that kicked off renovations. The day care, located on Farley Road, aims to create 120 child care spots for Bath Iron Works shipbuilders.

BIW President Charles F. Krugh highlighted at the ceremony the importance of boosting child care options to expand workforce, noting that the center will benefit the community “far into the future.”

“Having a safe place for your children to be cared for while you are at work is a struggle in Maine. Having a facility close to work — with a schedule that matches the hours you work — will be a blessing for many BIW parents. That is why we have made this investment,” Krugh said. “We are actively working to improve the employee experience at BIW in ways both large and small. This new partnership with the Bath Area YMCA is one of the large investments we are making.”