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.