Castlegar child care centres benefit from grants

Seven Castlegar child care centres will be benefiting from the Columbia Basin Trust's child care capital grants program.

CBT recently announced $546,780 in funding to 43 child care centres to upgrade equipment and make other improvements to 722 current spaces and to create 122 new spaces.

The Mountain Nest Family Daycare received $2,027 to upgrade outdoor play equipment.

Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ received $5,000 to upgrade outdoor play equipment and toy storage and $32,000 to build a new outdoor play area.

Silly Monkeys Childcare received $16,000 to build a fenced play area and purchase new play equipment.

Arrow Lakes Preschool received $6,000 to install radon gas venting in the preschool and resurface the sidewalk at the front entry.

Desiree's Family Daycare received $4,056 to purchase indoor and outdoor play equipment and car seats. This will enable the creation of six new child care spaces.

"Before this grant I simply did not have enough equipment for all the children," said owner Desiree LePage. "With the grant it allows me to have enough for six more children. They will also have a safe environment, and I can provide activities that will help the children be more active as they learn through play."

Blueberry Creek Community School Council received $16,500 to replace a portion of their roof to improve the quality and safety of 52 existing child care spaces.

Rebecca McDonnell, executive director for Blueberry Creek Community School says the funding will enable the completion of Phase 2 of their roofing project, which was considered an urgent need.

"It is essential to our sustainability and our confidence in our infrastructure," she said.

The school also received money for the project from the City of Castlegar and from their ongoing recycling collection.