What started as a Community Committee established to create child care spaces in Wetaskiwin will finally benefit many families in the community when the Wetaskiwin Early Learning and Day Care Centre opens its doors in September 2009.

A Feasibility Study conducted in 2008 identified a great need for quality child care spaces for children 12 months to 6 years in our community. The Community Committee successfully applied for start up grants, recruited the Boys & Girls Club of Wetaskiwin to operate the day care program and requested support from the City of Wetaskiwin.

With committed financial support from the City of Wetaskiwin for the next 3 years and Alberta Making Space for Children Grant in place, work will start immediately to ready the centre for 64 pre-school children. Operating under the Alberta Child Care Licensing Regulation Act, subsidies will be available for parents and certified staff will be hired to ensure that all children receive the quality care and attention that parents demand and supports their children’s healthy emotional and physical development.

The Boys and Girls Club of Wetaskiwin, an organization with 20+ years experience of providing quality, reliable programs and services in our community is excited to provide quality care and early learning opportunities to this new population while continuing to support families in our community. “As a registered society we have a strong governance model, well developed and tested policies and procedure that reflects the best practise in the child care industry and have the capacity to efficiently implement a new program of this scope in Wetaskiwin”, stated Dana Badke, Executive Director.

The City of Wetaskiwin has signed on as a partner to ensure that this critical service will now be available to the citizens of Wetaskiwin. As a leader in the early development of the day care program the City will assist in ensuring that this service is sustainable well into the future.“ The creation of licensed, accredited, child care will benefit many young families, but also increase the availability of a more skilled, trained labour pool and assist employers to attract and retain employees to work and live in Wetaskiwin” stated Bill Elliot, City Councillor and Community Committee Chair.

The Boys & Girls Club is now accepting names of prospective children for the Wetaskiwin Early Learning and Day Care Centre. Please call 780-352-4643 extension 32, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm to save your child’s place.

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