Queens County Daycare in Liverpool will more than double the number of available childcare spaces over the next year.
The funding is coming as part of the $29 million being invested in childcare across Nova Scotia by the federal government under the Canada-Nova Scotia Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement that will see the creation of 1,500 new childcare spaces across the province by the end of the year.
Chair of the Queens County Daycare Association Scott Christian says the $2 million they receive will bring big changes including the construction of a new wing, renovating the existing building, and hiring new staff.
Once that work is complete the facility can add 49 new spaces on top of the existing 42 (which excludes the eight infant care spaces).
Christian says he has seen a huge shift in attitude from the provincial government around early childhood learning over the last number of years.
“I’m excited that the province is recognizing that it’s their responsibility,” said Christian. “That the education and development of children doesn’t become the province’s responsibility when they’re five-years-old and enter primary, that it’s earlier than that. They want to be part of the solution and so do we.”
Christian says the funding will bring changes to their home in the former Mount Pleasant School that will make it more suitable to care for pre-school aged children.
He says accessible washrooms and a kitchen are at the top of the list of improvements coming to the daycare.
Managing the timeline is key as the plan is to complete construction on the new 3,500 square foot annex so the children can be relocated before renovations begin on the existing building.
“The whole juggling act is that there can be no disruption of services.”
Christian recognizes from coming up with a design to obtaining permits to hiring a contractor, there’s a lot to do in a very short amount of time.
Still, he is optimistic construction will begin in the fall and a fresh group of young people will be joining Queens County Daycare when the work is done.
Reported by Ed Halverson
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson
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