BGC Parksville Child and Family Centre

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On June 25, 2022, the City of Parksville and BGC Central Vancouver Island officially reopened the Jensen Centre (formerly Parksville Community Centre) at 132 Jensen Avenue East. The BGC Parksville Child and Family Centre looks forward to welcoming the community, kids and their parents, youth, and everyone interested in the re-envisioned Jensen Centre. The BGC Parksville Child and Family Centre will feature 91 new childcare spaces; 37 spaces for infants to school age and 54 spaces for school age children as well as youth and parent programs and community use space. For information about facility rentals and BGC programs in Parksville, please refer to the BGCCVI website and jensencentre.ca.

We are excited to create a vibrant child, youth and community-focused centre for Parksville and region. This process began in fall 2020 with a letter of intent between the City of Parksville and BGC Central Vancouver Island to operate the Jensen Centre to facilitate new childcare spaces and community programming.

This arrangement was dependent on the City being successful with a grant application to the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund, Ministry of Children and Family Development. In May 2021, the Province of BC announced the City was successfully awarded a grant for $2,034,829 to complete significant renovations to the Parksville Community Centre to facilitate the BGC Parksville Child and Family Centre as well as community programming. The province will fund 58 new childcare spaces and the Union of BC Municipalities will fund 33 spaces for a total 37 spaces for infants to school age and 54 spaces for school age children.

Council has taken a leadership role in facilitating the development of new childcare spaces in Parksville by recognizing the key role childcare plays in economic development and stability as well as the benefits to healthy child development. The City chose to partner with the non-profit organization, BGC Central Vancouver Island, to create licensed childcare spaces and programming for our community.

On June 25, 2022, the City of Parksville and BGC Central Vancouver Island officially reopened the Jensen Centre (formerly Parksville Community Centre) at 132 Jensen Avenue East. The BGC Parksville Child and Family Centre looks forward to welcoming the community, kids and their parents, youth, and everyone interested in the re-envisioned Jensen Centre. The BGC Parksville Child and Family Centre will feature 91 new childcare spaces; 37 spaces for infants to school age and 54 spaces for school age children as well as youth and parent programs and community use space. For information about facility rentals and BGC programs in Parksville, please refer to the BGCCVI website and jensencentre.ca.

We are excited to create a vibrant child, youth and community-focused centre for Parksville and region. This process began in fall 2020 with a letter of intent between the City of Parksville and BGC Central Vancouver Island to operate the Jensen Centre to facilitate new childcare spaces and community programming.

This arrangement was dependent on the City being successful with a grant application to the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund, Ministry of Children and Family Development. In May 2021, the Province of BC announced the City was successfully awarded a grant for $2,034,829 to complete significant renovations to the Parksville Community Centre to facilitate the BGC Parksville Child and Family Centre as well as community programming. The province will fund 58 new childcare spaces and the Union of BC Municipalities will fund 33 spaces for a total 37 spaces for infants to school age and 54 spaces for school age children.

Council has taken a leadership role in facilitating the development of new childcare spaces in Parksville by recognizing the key role childcare plays in economic development and stability as well as the benefits to healthy child development. The City chose to partner with the non-profit organization, BGC Central Vancouver Island, to create licensed childcare spaces and programming for our community.

  • Jensen Centre is the New Name

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    January 9, 2024

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    City of Parksville Council approved the renaming of the Parksville Community Centre at 132 Jensen Avenue East to the Jensen Centre. The community has known 132 Jensen Avenue East as the Parksville Community Centre for more than twenty years, but it will now have a new identity.

    The City of Parksville owns the trademark to the name, Parksville Community Centre, with full and exclusive legal rights to the name. The City has agreed to allow the Parksville Community Centre Society to continue the use of the name and associated branding for a five-year period, subject to entering into a licence agreement and terms with the City.

    The City is pleased to provide this agreement to the society and provide clarity for the public. Since the Parksville Community Centre Society opened the Parksville Community Centre on Mills Street in 2022, members of the community have expressed frustration and confusion with two facilities with the same name, confusing the Mills Street location with the Jensen Avenue location. Over the past two years, the City has attempted to brand the facility as the Parksville Community Centre on Jensen; however, this did not eliminate confusion. Renaming the facility as Jensen Centre will also facilitate emergency response to the correct location.

    As the home of the Parksville Child and Family Centre, the Jensen Centre will continue to provide services and amenities to the community. To support the change in name, new signage will be installed on the building and City staff will update online information and directories.

    For more information:
    Deb Tardiff, Manager of Communications
    communications@parksville.ca; 250 954-3073

  • Celebrate the Parksville Community Centre Reopening on June 25

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    June 16, 2022

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    We are excited to invite everyone - children and their families, youth, residents, and members of the public to the official reopening of the Parksville Community Centre and new home of the BGC Parksville Child and Family Centre. The event will be held from 10 am to noon on Saturday, June 25 at the Parksville Community Centre,
    132 Jensen Avenue East.

    We hope you will join the City of Parksville and BGC Central Vancouver Island as we proudly showcase and celebrate the renovated facility and 91 new childcare spaces. The event includes kids’ entertainment, craft activities and games, storytelling, refreshments, and a chance to tour the updated facility which includes renovated community space. BGCCVI will host a hiring fair from 11 am to 3 pm.

    The Parksville Child and Family Centre, located in the Parksville Community Centre at 132 Jensen Avenue East will feature 91 new childcare spaces; 37 spaces for infants to school age and 54 spaces for school age children as well as youth and parent programs, and community use space. In May 2021, the City was awarded a grant for $2,034,829 to complete significant renovations to the Parksville Community Centre to facilitate the new childcare spaces and community programming. We look forward to unveiling these significant renovations to the public on June 25.

    Details about community facility rentals in the Parksville Community Centre and the programs of BGC Central Vancouver Island, please refer to parksvillecommunitycentre.ca and bgccvi.com.

  • Parksville Community Centre to Reopen on June 25

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    June 1, 2022

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    Please join the City of Parksville and BGC Central Vancouver Island on Saturday, June 25 for the official reopening of the Parksville Community Centre when we will proudly showcase the renovated facility and the BGC Parksville Child and Family Centre to the community.

    The Parksville Community Centre will officially reopen to the public on Saturday, June 25 from 10 am to noon with dedication at 10.15 am. We look forward to welcoming kids and their families, youth, and all members of the public interested in checking out the new BGC programs as well as the community space in the Parksville Community Centre. The event includes kids’ entertainment and craft activities, refreshments, and tours of the updated facility including renovated community space. BGC will host a career fair from 11 am to 3 pm.

    The Parksville Child and Family Centre, located in the Parksville Community Centre at 132 Jensen Avenue East will feature 91 new childcare spaces; 37 spaces for infants to school age and 54 spaces for school age children as well as youth and parent programs, and community use space. Announced in May 2021, the City was awarded a grant for $2,034,829 to complete significant renovations to the Parksville Community Centre to facilitate the new childcare spaces and community programming.

    Details about community facility rentals in the Parksville Community Centre and the programs of BGC Central Vancouver Island, please refer to JensenCentre.ca

  • Parksville Community Centre Renovations Update

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    April 11, 2022

    At the Council meeting on April 11, Council received a presentation from the manager of special projects which provided an update on renovations underway at the Parksville Community Centre to facilitate the BGC Central Vancouver Island new childcare spaces, programming and community use. The presentation is available for viewing from this link or under Reference Documents.

  • Parksville Community Centre Renovations

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    March 10, 2022

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    Renovations to the Parksville Community Centre (PCC) are underway to facilitate 91 new child care spaces and programming for different age groups, family supports and an outdoor recreation space. Renovations for the child care spaces are moving forward with $2,034,829 in provincial funding from the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund and the Union of BC Municipalities.

    BGC Central Vancouver Island will operate the Parksville Child and Family Centre and manage community use of the PCC. The centre will open for summer programming and in September, will facilitate infants, preschool, before and after school, and family programming. Community access to the Parksville Community Centre will coincide with this timeframe and the BGC are already working with user groups to reserve space.

    “Creating more child care spaces will make a big difference for families in Parksville and I'm very glad to see these renovations are moving forward,” said Adam Walker, MLA for Parksville-Qualicum. “Our Parksville Community Centre is a great resource and I appreciate all of the efforts to make sure the space is used in the most efficient way, so that other community members can continue to enjoy it outside of the child care hours.”

    “The Parksville Community Centre will soon open as the BGCCVI Parksville Child and Family Centre along with community access once again. We are proud to partner with BGC Central Vancouver Island to provide safe and reliable childcare along with community programming. This past two years have been challenging for parents impacted by the pandemic and the new accessible and available child care spaces will help ease the strain for families with young children in our community,” said Ed Mayne, Parksville Mayor.

    The Parksville Community Centre was home to Island Health’s vaccination clinic from March to September 2021 and from November 2021 through to March 10, 2022. Along with community access this fall, the PCC will continue to be the primary location for local government voting in October.

    MKM Projects Inc is leading the work in the Parksville Community Centre. Building renovations will include enhancements to community use spaces and construction of new amenities to support the Parksville Child and Family Centre spaces. A rollup divider will be installed in the auditorium and new washrooms constructed adjacent to the PCC main entrance. Safe and engaging child care spaces will be constructed in two former meeting spaces and a ‘teen space’ will be created in an underutilized former storage area.

    Outdoor play spaces at the rear of the building will accommodate early years (infants and toddlers) and daycare (30 months to five years) programming as well as an out-of-school care play area on the grassed area. These play spaces are designed with an emphasis on natural play and will integrate the existing topography and trees in these spaces to create an engaging space for children to play and learn.

    The spaces are publicly accessible when not in use by the daycare programs. There will be some minor reconfigurations to the parking lot around the Parksville Community Centre to add crosswalks and large vehicle parking spaces. Two 24-passenger buses will be purchased so children can be bused between out-of-school care at the Parksville Child and Family Centre and their local schools.

    The City’s online engagement platform, Let’s Talk Parksville, features information and updates on this project. Information about BGC Central Vancouver Island is available at https://www.bgccvi.com

    At the April 11 Council meeting, City staff will update Parksville Council and the public about project.

  • Island Health Immunization Site in Parksville Community Centre

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    November 22, 2021

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    Once again, Vancouver Island Health Authority will lease the Parksville Community Centre as a COVID immunization site. Island Health expects the vaccination clinic to open near the end of November and could operate from the Parksville Community Centre into June 2022. The vaccination clinic will serve residents of the Parksville Qualicum Beach region providing booster immunizations and vaccinations for children.

    While Island Health is in the Parksville Community Centre, renovations will be completed to accommodate the new child and family centre. The Parksville Child and Family Centre will provide 91 new daycare spaces as well as programs for different age groups, family supports, outdoor recreation space and buses to facilitate daycare activities. The PCC is scheduled to open for programs in summer 2022 with full opening of the 91 licensed childcare spaces in September 2022 along with community access to the centre. BGC Central Vancouver Island is supportive of this community initiative.

    The clinic will require access to onsite loading and parking space with designated parking at the Parksville Community Centre to accommodate public use of the clinic. Additional accessible parking has been added to the east side of the Parksville Community Centre building and parking for Island Health and the Parksville Civic and Technology Centre staff has been designated. Due to the expected high volume of vehicles and pedestrians using the Parksville Community Centre, no other public parking can be accommodated in this area while the clinic is active.

    The City is pleased to be able to accommodate Island Health’s vaccination clinic in the Parksville Community Centre.

    We wish to remind residents Provincial Health Officer orders and guidelines remain in place, even when you have received the vaccine. For information on the Island Health immunization plan, please refer to https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/plan


  • City to Enter Lease with BGCCVI to Operate PCC

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    November 16, 2021

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    At the meeting on November 15, Parksville Council authorized staff to undertake the necessary steps to enter into a five-year lease agreement with BGC Central Vancouver Island (BGCCVI) to operate a portion of the Parksville Community Centre (PCC) as the BGCCVI Parksville Child and Family Centre and to manage community use of the PCC. The report to Council from the Chief Administrative Officer was included with the November 15 Council agenda.

    Following the November 1, 2021, closed meeting, Council rose and reported on direction provided to staff to issue a request for expressions of interest (RFEI) for the renovations to the PCC as outlined in the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund grant. This RFEI was posted to BC Bid and the City’s website on November 10. As required under the Community Charter, notice of intent to lease the property will be posted on the City's website and published in the PQB News.

    The City will retain the Emergency Management Oceanside offices and an expanded meeting space at the Jensen side of the building. The remainder of the PCC will be operated by BGCCVI as a full-time child and family centre with the provision of 91 new daycare spaces as well as programs for different age groups, family supports, outdoor recreation space and buses to facilitate daycare activities. The PCC is scheduled to open for programs in the summer of 2022 with full opening of the 91 licensed childcare spaces in September 2022 along with community access to the centre. The City’s online engagement platform, Let’s Talk Parksville, will soon feature information and updates on the project.

    BACKGROUND
    In October 2020, Council approved a resolution to work with BGC Central Vancouver Island for the provision of new licensed childcare and associated programs. As part of this announcement, the public was advised the agreement between the City and the Parksville Community Centre Society (PCCS) expired on December 31, 2020. A letter of intent between the City and BGCCVI was signed in October 2020 and in partnership with BGCCVI, the City submitted a grant application for the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund to secure funding for a licensed childcare facility. Under the provisions of the letter of intent, should the grant application be successful, the City announced its intention to enter into an agreement with BGCCVI to operate the PCC as the Parksville Child and Family Centre. In December 2020, Council provided the public with Council resolutions related to the PCCS since 2015.

    In May 2021, the Province of BC announced the City was successfully awarded a grant for $2,034,829 to complete significant renovations to the Parksville Community Centre to facilitate the 91 new childcare spaces and community programming. Council received notice of the award on April 7, 2021 and directed staff to prepare the legal documentation to facilitate the lease of the PCC to the BGCCVI. The letter of intent with BGCCVI was provided to the public.

    In March 2021, Parksville Council announced an agreement with Vancouver Island Health Authority to lease the PCC from mid-March through September as a COVID immunization site. BGCCVI fully supported this critical community initiative, and the timelines were adjusted to support the use of the PCC as a regional vaccine clinic for an initial six-month period. The facility will continue to be used as a vaccine clinic for COVID-19 immunizations for children and the City, BGCCVI and Island Health are working together to balance safe access to the building with the renovation schedule.

    For more information:
    Deb Tardiff, Manager of Communications
    dtardiff@parksville.ca; 250 954-3073

  • City Receives Funding for New Childcare Spaces at Parksville Community Centre

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    May 19, 2021

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    Families in Parksville and region will soon have access to 91 new licensed childcare spaces to be located in the Parksville Community Centre for a minimum of fifteen years. Today the Province of BC announced the City was successfully awarded a grant for $2,034,829 to complete significant renovations to the Parksville Community Centre to facilitate the new childcare spaces and community programming.

    The City will partner with BGC Central Vancouver Island to operate the new facility. BGC Central Vancouver Island provides programming for children, youth, and families to enhance physical health, social competence and emotional maturity to decrease vulnerabilities in children. BGCCVI offers several curricula based and facilitated parent education programs including Parents Together, Parents Without Power Struggles and Parents in the Know. Not only do they provide daycare and childcare but also a variety of youth programs.

    The City is pleased to receive funding from the province for 58 new childcare spaces and the Union of BC Municipalities will fund 33 spaces: a total of 37 spaces for infants to school age and 54 spaces for school age children. Renovations will begin in the fall and the facility is scheduled to open January 2022 as the PCC is currently being operated by Island Health as a vaccination clinic. The centre will be fully accessible, provide transportation for out-of-school care programs with two new buses and new multi-purpose outdoor play spaces for all ages. As previously announced, efforts will be made to accommodate appropriate community partner programs during nonoperating hours. The BGCCVI Parksville Child, Youth and Family Centre will be open Monday to Friday, 7.30 am to 6.30 pm; however, program hours may be changed or extended based on community need.

    Quote from Parksville Mayor Ed Mayne “The Parksville Community Centre will soon be home to BGCCVI Parksville Child and Family Centre. Funding from the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund and Union of BC Municipalities will create much needed childcare spaces to support families in our community. We are proud to partner with BGC Central Vancouver Island to provide safe and reliable childcare along with community programming. This past year has been challenging for parents impacted by the pandemic and the new accessible and available childcare spaces will help ease the strain for families with young children in our community and support the transition to return to work.” Quote from Karen Love, Executive Director, BGC Central Vancouver Island “BGC Central Vancouver Island is proud to partner with the City of Parksville to bring much needed services for children, youth and families to the area. We look forward to communicating our plans with the community which go beyond childcare.”

    News Release - BC Ministry of Children and Family Development, May 19, 2021


  • Island Health COVID Immunization Site in Parksville Community Centre

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    March 1, 2021

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    Parksville Council is pleased to announce an agreement has been reached with Vancouver Island Health Authority to lease the Parksville Community Centre from March 15 through September as a COVID immunization site. Island Health expects the vaccination clinic will be operational twelve hours a day, seven days a week providing vaccinations to about 60,000 Oceanside residents during this time.

    The agreement with Island Health necessitates exclusive use of the facility, with the exception of the commercial kitchen. The clinic will require access to onsite loading and parking spaces from March through September and fortunately, the City of Parksville is able to accommodate this request at a rate of $1, which would not have been possible if the centre was being operated independently for rental purposes. Over the next two weeks, notice of the lease agreement with Island Health will be provided to the public according to statutory regulations.

    Boys and Girls Club of Central Vancouver Island fully supports this critical community initiative. Should the City be successful with the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund, renovations to the centre will begin once Island Health has completed all immunizations, with the centre expected to re-open to the community in January 2022.

    We wish to remind residents Provincial Health Officer orders and guidelines remain in place, even when you have received the vaccine. We all need to continue to protect each other by avoiding social interactions outside our immediate household, washing our hands often, staying home when sick, staying physically distant from people outside our households, and wearing a mask in public indoor spaces. For information on the Island Health immunization plan, please refer to https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/plan

    For more information:

    Deb Tardiff, Manager of Communications
    dtardiff@parksville.ca; 250 954-3073


  • Council Resolutions Regarding the Parksville Community Centre

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    December 9, 2020

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    On October 5, Parksville Council announced their intention to work with the Boys and Girls Club of Central Vancouver Island (BGCCVI). As part of this announcement, the agreement with the Parksville Community Centre Society (PCCS) will not be renewed when it expires on December 31, 2020.

    Further to City news releases on October 20 and December 1, at the December 7 meeting, Parksville Council agreed to rise and report to provide to the public, previously confidential information related to the Parksville Community Centre. Some items remain confidential in accordance with Section 90 of the Community Charter. As the public is aware, since 2015, previous Parksville Councils were concerned about the ongoing costs to operate the facility.

    The document included with this release details Council resolutions related to the Parksville Community Centre Society since 2015 and will provide a timeline and context to decisions.

    QUOTE:

    “Resulting from Council’s rise and report from the December 7 meeting, Council believes this information will demonstrate to the public that extensive consideration and debate about the PCCS has occurred by this Council and previous Council’s,” said Parksville Mayor Ed Mayne.

    For more information:

    Mayor Ed Mayne
    mayor@parksville.ca; 250 954-4661

    Deb Tardiff, Manager of Communications
    dtardiff@parksville.ca; 250 954-3073

Page last updated: 12 Feb 2024, 02:14 PM