Columbia Basin Trust is giving out grants to help pay for 133 child care enhancement projects around the region.
CBT officials said the work will enhance a total of 2,646 existing child care spaces and create up to 17 new spaces at 105 centres.
“Supporting healthy childhood development and activities for children is important to the Trust, which is why we have helped child care centres address their needs in a variety of ways over the years,” said Ulli Mueller, CBT Senior Delivery of Benefits Manager. “We’re pleased they can now take this step of purchasing new equipment and doing small improvements, which aids them in their efforts to improve the quality and safety of their operations.”
The funding will be used to purchase items like children’s furniture, specialized learning equipment to support children with special needs, and storage units.
“The funding may also be used for improvements like health and safety upgrades, including building fences, installing shade structures, or improving washrooms,” said CBT officials.
Examples of a few of the projects can be found below.
Blueberry Creek Community School Council – Castlegar ($17,018)
CBT officials said the Blueberry Creek Community School Council will use its grant funding to purchase items for three of its facilities.
This will include furniture, sensory toys, an upgraded dryer and the Blueberry Creek Early Learning and Care Centre will get a new outdoor play structure.
The Trust said this will improve 114 existing child care spaces.
“The purchases will increase the centres’ capacities to nurture and care for all children in inclusive and safe environments,” said Rebecca McDonnell, Executive Director. “The new play equipment will provide much-needed gross motor activities for children and permit them to safely play collectively and collaboratively, resulting in a more positive experience.”
Canal Flats Daycare – Village of Canal Flats ($12,030)
Columbia Basin Trust officials said the Village of Canal Flats Daycare will install storage units and buy new rugs and play equipment for the facility.
This will include a water sensory table, sand boxes, foam climber set and mud kitchen.
CBT staff said this will improve 40 existing spaces.
“The play equipment will encourage children to learn using multiple senses, which helps build the cognitive skills that we use when we solve problems and create novel ideas,” said manager Ashley Nielsen.
Golden Community Resources Society – Golden ($15,895)
CBT officials said the Golden Community Resources Society will use its funding to buy indoor and outdoor play equipment at the Mountain Child Early Learning and Care Centre.
The money will also go towards building shade structures over the outdoor play area.
“The new equipment will broaden the breadth of developmental experiences for our children in care,” said Arunveer Kamboj, Director. “These new resources will help to foster an enriched environment that promotes independence, learning, exploration, communication, curiosity, open‐ended play and a spirit of inquiry.”
You can see a full list of the projects below.
More: New equipment projects (Columbia Basin Trust)
More: Small improvement projects (Columbia Basin Trust)