City Receives Funding for New Childcare Spaces at Parksville Community Centre

May 19, 2021

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