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.

  • City to Work with BGC Central Vancouver Island

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    October 20, 2020

    LINK TO PDF

    On October 5, Parksville Council unanimously approved a resolution to work with the Boys and Girls Club of Central Vancouver Island (BGCCVI) for the provision of new licensed childcare and other associated child, youth and parent programming for Parksville. This resolution supports Council’s strategic plan priorities of enhancing recreation, community safety and supporting economic development.

    There are several steps to accomplish the goal of providing expanded licensed childcare and youth programming for our community:

    • In collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of Central Vancouver Island, the City will submit a grant application for the provincial Childcare BC New Spaces Fund to secure funding for a licensed childcare facility.
    • The current operating agreement with the Parksville Community Centre Society (PCCS) expires on December 31, 2020. The City provided notice to the PCCS that it will not be entering into a new agreement with the PCCS.
    • Subject to successful grant funding, the City will enter into an agreement with the BGCCVI to operate a full complement of child, youth and family community services at the Parksville Community Centre in 2021.

    As part of this decision, Council is investigating opportunities to provide community meeting space options in other facilities. As part of any future lease of the Parksville Community Centre, the City will retain the right to access the facility for community events such as elections, all candidates’ forums and an emergency reception centre.

    QUOTE FROM MAYOR ED MAYNE
    “There is a critical shortage of childcare spaces in Parksville and very few services for youth available in our community. This project will help to meet the childcare needs of families by improving access to high quality care, including new licensed childcare spaces, renovations to an existing facility, enhanced accessible playground facilities, professional training and certification opportunities for staff and opportunities for community partnerships. On behalf of Council, we are pleased to support families with young children, youth and parents in our community.”

    ABOUT THE BGC CENTRAL VANCOUVER ISLAND
    BGCCVI has a long tradition of successfully running programs for children and youth ages zero to 18, as well as services and programs for parents and families. Programs include early years, out of school care, summer camps, youth programming, family resource and parenting programs. BGCCVI provides experiential learning environments that inspire children and youth of diverse abilities to acquire and develop the critical cognitive, emotional, and social skills needed to become resilient and contributing members of society. GCCVI is committed to providing certified programming and reducing any barriers limiting participation and creating positive outcomes for participants and their support networks. BGCCVI facilities are open, accessible and inclusive providing diverse knowledge-based, age appropriate educational programs to engage, motivate and inspire all those who participate.

    For more information:

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

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

Page last updated: 03 Apr 2024, 11:58 AM