Thursday October 8, 2020 | COLWOOD, BC
by Mary P Brooke, editor | Island Social Trends
Work is now underway on the renovation of the second floor of the Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre, to build new childcare spaces.
The West Shore Parks & Recreation (WSPR)-owned facility awarded the construction contract to Heatherbrae Builders last month. Renovation has begun to construct 24 new full-time licenced daycare spaces, 20 new full-time preschool and 40 news after school spaces.
Availability of the news spaces is set for September 2021.
Funding for the project:
WSPR secured $3.8 million in grant funding to complete the project. Of that required amount, $1 million was secured through the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) Community Child Care Space Creation Program and $2.8 million from the Ministry of Children and Family Development Child Care BC New Spaces Fund.
Expanding facility inventory:
“As the west shore continues to grow at an exponential rate, we are excited to help support our families through the opening of 24 new full-time day care spaces and the addition of pre-school and after school spaces to our inventory,” says Geoff Welham, Manager of Recreation, West Shore Parks & Recreation.
Additional amenities involved in the renovation include a new 24-passenger bus, industrial teaching kitchen and a quiet room.
The building will be fully accessible as well as accommodate weekend and evening user group rentals, birthday parties and kindergym.
Welham says that WSPR continues to improve its ability to provide diverse and accessible recreation programs and child care to the west shore’s growing population and to ensure the most efficient use of the more than 250,000 sq ft of facility space that WSPR owns and operates.
WSPR is owned by five west shore municipalities: Langford, Colwood, View Royal, Highlands and Metchosin.
Winter activity guide:
More information and the process to register for the new daycare spaces will be available in early December with the release of the Winter Activity Guide.
There was no activity guide published this past summer during the earlier phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Physical distancing made most activities unachievable.
