City child care centre opened

The cutting of a string of circular shapes made from construction paper Feb. 29 marked the official opening of the City of Terrace's before school and after school child care operation located on the second floor of the Sportsplex complex.

Financed with $390,000 from a combined federal and provincial program, the space provides licensed care for as many as 31 school-aged children, including five-year olds. It began accepting children last fall.

The money paid for the addition of a kitchen area, fixtures and furnishings and creating an outside play area complete with a climbing feature.

Provincial finance minister Katrine Conroy, who cut the paper string with Terrace mayor Sean Bujtas and Kitsumkalum elder Sharon Bryant looking on, said the space represents the continued provision of child care spaces locally and throughout the province.

"One hundred thousand women have returned to work in B.C. with the majority attributed to our child care program," she told those at the Feb. 29 gathering.

Bujtas said child care spaces such as this one operated by the city help meet "key needs of the community."

The mayor's own children have benefitted from the centre, he added.

He said the centre was unique in that it is operated by the city compared to similar programs run by other agencies and groups elsewhere.

The choice of the Sportsplex as a location for this child care service surfaced from comments made by parents in a needs assessment conducted in 2020.

Speaking afterward, Conroy described as heart warming a conversation at a local chamber of commerce function with two fathers who said the provision of child care has made a substantial difference in their families lives.

There are now 350 licensed child care spaces in Terrace and area.