The $3-million funding to transform the former dormitory site at Lake City Secondary’s Columneetza campus into childcare spaces was thrilling and exciting news to one Williams Lake Child Care Facility.
The plan will see the proposed operator, KidCare Daycare, extend its current services into the new facility which will add 119 spaces.
Irene Willsie, Executive Director of the Women’s Contact Society that operates KidCare said this is a great opportunity that goes beyond filling the City’s need for more childcare spaces.
“It truly is a collaboration of many partners in the community. The 119 new childcare spaces are so needed and we are excited also, that, at the same time we can bring these new spaces to the community, we can re-develop the former dormitory into a vibrant and useful space again. That has been something our community has been wanting to happen for many years. So I think it’s a winning situation from many, many angles.”
Willsie noted that Kidcare Daycare currently has a capacity for 60 kids and they are completely full.
“We have been short of childcare spaces in this community for as long as I can remember. The additional 119 spaces is a significant number of families that we can help.”
School District 27 was awarded the maximum funding available of $3-million for this project.
“I would like to thank the School District and the City for being such great partners and I am really looking forward to working with them through the building process,” Willsie said.