Families in Elkford will be able to pursue opportunities knowing their children are well cared for, now that a new child care centre has opened.
The new Elkford Childcare Centre was made possible with more than $1.1 million from the Province’s New Spaces Fund. Columbia Basin Trust contributed $250,000 toward the project. This funding paid for the former District of Elkford municipal office building to be extensively renovated and repurposed to create 30 licensed child care spaces.
In addition to the funding from the New Spaces Fund and Columbia Basin Trust, the Elkford Childcare Centre received a significant donation from Teck Resources Limited.
“Having access to quality and affordable child care means parents can work, businesses can retain employees and communities can thrive, all of which we heard are important to basin residents,” said Johnny Strilaeff, president and CEO, Columbia Basin Trust. “These new spaces in the community hub will have a meaningful impact for families in Elkford. Congratulations to all the partners on completing this much-needed facility.”
“The Elkford Childcare Centre and Community Hub is a great example of how everyone benefits
when we work together to deliver child care,” said Grace Lore, Minister of State for Child Care. “Access to affordable, quality child care is life-changing for families and good for our communities and local economies. Having a child care centre as part of the hub will also mean children feel connected to their community and will help bring people together.”
The centre will be operated by the Elkford Women’s Task Force Society. The society provides a number of programs to support families in the Elk Valley community, and will offer free programs, such as healthy eating and car-seat clinics, to families attending the facility.
“When the centre opened, I had a son who had just started kindergarten and another who was
about to turn 18 months old,” said Jenn, mother of two children attending the Elkford Childcare Centre. “Without the new child care spots, I was facing the possibility of not being able to return to work. I’m so happy to now have consistent, quality care and both my kids look forward to their time at the centre with the new friends they’ve made.”
Read the full release here.
For more information about the Trust’s work in child care, click here.
