Children and families around the Columbia Basin benefit from a range of childcare opportunities at Child Care Centres. Now, 133 projects are helping to make many facilities even safer and higher quality with support from Columbia Basin Trust.
In total, these activities will enhance 2,646 existing child care spaces and create up to 17 new spaces at 105 centres in the Basin. Five of these centres who received funding are in Fernie.
“Supporting healthy childhood development and activities for children is important to the Trust, which is why we have helped child care centres address their needs in a variety of ways over the years,” said Ulli Mueller, Senior Manager, Delivery of Benefits, Columbia Basin Trust. “We’re pleased they can now take this step of purchasing new equipment and doing small improvements, which aids them in their efforts to improve the quality and safety of their operations.”
With this funding, facilities are buying equipment like children’s furniture, specialized learning equipment to support children with special needs and encourage an inclusive environment, and storage units. The funding may also be used for improvements like health and safety upgrades, including building fences, installing shade structures, or improving washrooms.
To see all approved new equipment projects, click here.
To see all approved small improvement projects, click here.
Since 2017, the Trust’s Child Care Support Program has helped maintain and create new child care spaces in the Basin, train Early Childhood Educators and provide advisory services to child care providers—with impressive results. See current numbers at ourtrust.org/childcare.
Here are a few of the recent projects.
Blueberry Creek targets wide impact
In Castlegar, the Blueberry Creek Community School Council is undertaking several purchases for its three facilities, such as adding furniture and sensory toys and upgrading its dryer. Its Blueberry Creek Early Learning and Care Centre will also gain a new outdoor play structure. These activities will improve a total of 114 child care spaces.
“The purchases will increase the centres’ capacities to nurture and care for all children in inclusive and safe environments,” said Rebecca McDonnell, Executive Director. For example, “The new play equipment will provide much-needed gross motor activities for children and permit them to safely play collectively and collaboratively, resulting in a more positive experience.”
Canal Flats stimulates the senses
The Village of Canal Flats Daycare is installing storage units and purchasing rugs and play equipment, including a water sensory table, sand boxes, foam climber set and mud kitchen. This will improve 40 child care spaces.
“The play equipment will encourage children to learn using multiple senses, which helps build the cognitive skills that we use when we solve problems and create novel ideas,” said Ashley Nielsen, Manager. The mud kitchen, for example, enables “open‐ended mud play, which encourages creative thinking and allows free creation without fear of making mistakes, contributing to a child’s sense of self and helping to build confidence.”
Golden focuses on play
The Golden Community Resources Society is purchasing indoor and outdoor play equipment for its Mountain Child Early Learning and Care Centre and installing shade structures over the outdoor play area. This will improve 77 child care spaces.
“The new equipment will broaden the breadth of developmental experiences for our children in care,” said Arunveer Kamboj, Director. “These new resources will help to foster an enriched environment that promotes independence, learning, exploration, communication, curiosity, open‐ended play and a spirit of inquiry.”
Columbia Basin Trust supports the efforts of the people in the Columbia Basin. To learn more about the Trust’s programs and initiatives, and how it helps deliver social, economic and environmental benefits to the Basin, visit ourtrust.org or call 1.800.505.8998.
