Families in Kamloops will now have access to 52 new licensed child care spaces at the recently rebuilt Parkcrest Elementary school.
"These new child care spaces at Parkcrest Elementary represent a bright start for families, early childhood educators and the entire community," said Rohini Arora, parliamentary secretary for child care. "Located in a state-of the-art rebuilt school, parents will have access to high-quality child care closer to home and in a familiar setting for their kids. This will mean more children learning, playing and growing together in a safe environment, while allowing parents to invest more time on their personal and professional aspirations."
The Province partnered with the Kamloops-Thompson School District (No. 73) to create new child care spaces through an investment of more than $2 million from the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund.
"We're excited to be opening a new child care space in the Kamloops-Thompson School District," said Heather Grieve, board chair, School District No. 73. "We recognize how important access to child care is to our communities and we are proud to offer early-learning programming at approximately half of all elementary schools in our district. Thank you to our partners at YMCA BC for their commitment to providing safe and welcome learning spaces for our youngest learners at Parkcrest Elementary."
The new child care centre includes 12 spaces for infants and toddlers, 16 spaces for children 30 months to school age, and 24 spaces for school-age children on school grounds. These are in addition to more than 1,290 child care spaces in Kamloops and the surrounding area funded through ChildCareBC programs, which help meet the needs of local families.
"As a charity committed to igniting the potential in children and supporting the needs of families across the province, it is so rewarding to see the vision for this new child care centre become a reality," said Heidi Worthington, president and CEO, YMCA BC. "The YMCA is proud to collaborate with the Kamloops-Thompson School District on this project, which will help serve the growing needs of this community for years to come."
Since 2018, ChildCareBC's space-creation programs have helped fund more than 41,500 new licensed child care spaces in B.C., with more than 26,200 of those now open. Expanding access to affordable, high-quality child care spaces is part of the Province's ChildCareBC plan.
Quotes:
Mike McKay, superintendent, Kamloops-Thompson Board of Education -
"The YMCA Parkcrest Care and Learning Centre reflects our district's commitment to providing accessible, inclusive, and supportive early learning environments where children in our district feel connected and cared for. We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the YMCA BC with this new child care space at Parkcrest Elementary School. This centre will benefit local families and ensure children have a strong start in their educational journey."
Chelsea Scott, parent of child who attends YMCA Parkcrest Care and Learning Centre -
"The YMCA Parkcrest Care and Learning Centre has been a supportive, nurturing and positive environment with great teachers. My son has enjoyed learning and exploring every day. It's a great addition to the neighbourhood and we are lucky to have this centre in the area."
Learn More:
- For information about ChildCareBC, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare
- For information about the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/childcare/newspacesfund
- For information about how to connect to services and help save money, visit the B.C. Benefits Connector: https://gov.bc.ca/BCBenefitsConnector
