The morning routine will soon be a little easier for families in the New Denver area as more than 40 new child care spaces are set to open in September 2020 at the local K-12 school.
The spaces mean parents will have quality, full-time licensed child care available in their own community for the first time.
The school district is receiving $492,052 through the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund and $250,000 through the Columbia Basin Trust to add 46 new child care spaces to Lucerne Elementary School. This includes 30 school-age spaces and 16 spaces for children under the age of 12. The funding will be used to turn two unused classrooms, adjacent storage and hallway space into a new child care centre.
“We know that parents in rural communities have limited options when it comes to child care, and it’s no different in New Denver where there is currently only one licensed facility,” said Katrine Conroy, Minister of Children and Family Development and MLA for Kootenay-West. “This project shows how a community benefits when we work in partnership. I’m grateful to the school district for stepping up to support local families and to the Columbia Basin Trust for its contribution to make this project a reality. Together, we’re bringing more than four times more child care spaces to the area.”
“People in the Basin have told us how critical the child-care situation can be, especially in small communities like New Denver,” said Johnny Strilaeff, president and CEO, Columbia Basin Trust. “By working with local providers and partners, we help communities find solutions that make sense for them – like re-imagining an underused space at Lucerne school. Congratulations to the Goat Mountain School Society, Arrow Lakes School District, parents, staff and volunteers in making Goat Mountain Kids Child Care a reality.”
Learn more about the other projects receiving Trust support and read the full release.
