UNITY — After nine years of being in their current location, the Unity Community Daycare is on the move.
Located on the 200 block of Second Avenue West, sharing the building with the optometry office, the daycare first opened in 2016 with the help of some dedicated parents as there was a need for childcare in the community. Able to accommodate 35 children between the ages of 18 months to school age, the staff at the daycare were committed to nurturing the youngsters in social development through play-based learning.
Unity Community Daycare director, Erica Van De Meutter, said in an interview with Â鶹ÊÓƵ that the facility has reached a point where they had outgrown their space, creating a committee with community members and parents to begin the process of expanding the daycare. Since the committee was formed, the building they are currently in has been sold, however, the daycare can continue to use the space until the new space is ready.
“The decision was made to build something new rather than renovating an existing building simply due to the strict guidelines outlined by the Government of Saskatchewan. The thought was that it would be easier to start with something already meeting those guidelines. The committee has purchased a lot at 401 4th Avenue East and we are in the beginning stages of building,” said Van De Meutter.
The committee has decided an RTM built to government guidelines would be the best option, complete with a basement, allowing for space to expand again when the budget allows it.
“We have been approved for a $500,000 grant for the new building and are hoping for an additional $300,000 in sponsorship. The remainder will be covered by a mortgage to the centre,” added Van De Meutter. It is estimated the new daycare space will cost $1.5 million.
There are hopes the new building will accommodate close to 50 children, including infants as young as six weeks of age.
“The guidelines we need to meet include menu regulations, sprinkler systems installed to have infants in the centre, window sizes, playground size, washrooms and diapering areas, accessibility regulations and proper square footage per child,” said the daycare director. She also said the new facility would have a space for just infants featuring a soundproof nap area, a larger outdoor play space, more storage space, as well as staff and parent parking in separate locations.
“We will also be close to the elementary school for ease of dropping off of several children going to different locations,” added Van De Meutter.
The committee had recently sent out sponsorship letters to residents in the Unity area, explaining all the details of the expansion.
“We are a not-for-profit organization and have already done some fundraising to get us started. We will continue to fundraise and collect sponsorship donations so we can get our new location running as soon as possible,” said Van De Meutter.
The Unity Community Daycare is currently funded by a Staff Wage Enhancement grant, allowing staff with Early Childhood Education Level 1-3 an additional amount hourly, along with a monthly Parent Fee Reduction grant, reducing the cost of childcare for parents.
“The new centre will help serve the community by offering childcare to younger children, allowing parents to work, offer more opportunities for social development, while providing peace of mind to the parents. With the larger facility, we will also provide more job opportunities within the community by hiring more staff, which helps generate more revenue in our community,” she added.
For anyone interested in becoming a sponsor, contact Erica Van De Meutter at 306-228-2995 or emailing [email protected]
