Families in the Parksville Qualicum Beach region will soon have access to 91 new licensed childcare spaces.
On Wednesday, May 19, the City of Parksville issued a public release that the Boys and Girls Club of Central Vancouver Island’s (BGCCVI) ‘Parksville Child, Youth and Family Centre’ will be located in the Parksville Community Centre (PCC) for a minimum of 15 years.
The provincial government also announced in a public release, issued on May 19, that the city was awarded a grant of $2,034,829 to complete renovations to the PCC to facilitate the new childcare spaces and community programming.
In the city’s release, Mayor Ed Mayne said: “The Parksville Community Centre will soon be home to BGCCVI Parksville Child and Family Centre. Funding from the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund and Union of BC Municipalities will create much needed childcare spaces to support families in our community. We are proud to partner with BGC Central Vancouver Island to provide safe and reliable childcare along with community programming. This past year has been challenging for parents impacted by the pandemic and the new accessible and available childcare spaces will help ease the strain for families with young children in our community and support the transition to return to work.”
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Renovations on the PCC will begin in the fall of 2021 and the facility is scheduled to open January 2022 as the PCC is currently being operated by Island Health as a COVID-19 vaccination clinic. As previously announced, efforts will be made to accommodate appropriate community partner programs during non-operating hours. The centre will be fully accessible, provide transportation for out-of-school care programs with two new buses and new multi-purpose outdoor play spaces for all ages.
The BGCCVI’s ‘Parksville Child, Youth and Family Centre’ will be open Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., however, program hours may be changed or extended based on community need.
The funding from the province for 58 new childcare spaces and the Union of BC Municipalities will fund 33 spaces: a total of 37 spaces for infants to school-age, and 54 spaces for school-age children.
– NEWS Staff, submitted
