The new Castlegar and District Kids’ Club, located on the grounds of the Castlegar and District Community Complex, was celebrated at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday.
Local elected officials, provincial representatives and other special guests were on hand to acknowledge the collaboration that made the facility a reality. The Kids’ Club, which provides 30 licensed child care spaces for local families, was completed in late 2021 and opened its doors on Jan. 4.
The event started with a blessing from Bev Gillard, Elder, and Crystal Laren, program consultant, from the Circle of Indigenous Nations Society (C.O.I.N.S). The blessing was followed by a drum song, and then remarks from local government officials and partners.
“We are excited and grateful to be celebrating the Castlegar and District Kids’ Club, and to be recognizing the partnership and collaboration that led to the creation of this much-needed facility,” Castlegar Mayor Kirk Duff said in a news release.
“We’ve heard from parents and caregivers that the Kids’ Club is a solution to their child-care needs. That’s an outcome worth celebrating.”
The facility was made possible thanks to a partnership with Kootenay Family Place and the Castlegar and District Recreation Commission. It was funded by the Province of British Columbia’s ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund, which supports the new, licensed spaces in Castlegar.
“The child care spaces at this community facility will make a big difference to local people, especially as more and more young families have been moving here to raise their children. It’s great to see this project complete,” said Kootenay West MLA Katrine Conroy.
“It’s part of a network of new quality centres that are helping to build a future where child care is a core service that families can depend on when they need it, and at a price they can afford.”
“We are proud to have partnered with the RDCK and the Province of British Columbia to secure a modern and much needed early learning centre,” Rebecca Vassilakakis and Marissa Carrasco, Kootenay Family Place board co-Chairs said in the release.
“We are excited to expand Kootenay Family Place’s quality services through the Castlegar and District Kids’ Club making childcare even more accessible for families in our community.”
The 30 new spaces offered in the facility includes 20 licensed pre-school and 20 after-school spaces, providing part-time care in the mornings and after school. The community complex will have access to the facility for programming and school break camps when not in use for child care.
The child care centre was designed by Cover Architecture of Nelson and construction was led by Alfred Horie Construction (AHC) Co. Ltd. The facility is a standalone building situated across from the skate park adjacent to the complex pool, facing south. A new playground area was also created as part of the project, which is open to the public after child-care hours and on weekends.