BONNYVILLE – Essential workers in need of childcare can now turn to the Bonnyville and District Daycare Centre.
The local facility announced on Thursday, April 30 they have been approved by the Minister of Children’s Services to open their doors to essential workers in the community.
According to the daycare's executive director Kim Harvie, the Town of Bonnyville put the wheels in motion after learning of the difficulties local parents faced in finding childcare.
“We had reached out to all of our essential workers, before the essential workers included the grocery staff and that kind of thing. We reached out to our medical personnel and we found there was a need within that. So that’s when the town started pursuing it,” she explained.
The daycare centre will be open Monday, May 4. Spaces are available for those who are working in emergency services, providing medical treatment, and select essential workers.
Due to the provincial restrictions, the Bonnyville Daycare can only have 30 people present within the facility at one time and there’s a limit to 10 occupants per room. As a result, there were only 24 spots available for children.
Additional procedures, such as families being required to pack a lunch and snacks for their child, are in place to further mitigate risks.
Following the provincial mandates is crucial to allow the local daycare to remain open in the coming months.
“There’s going to be a lot of extra sanitizing. There’s rules around social distancing, screening families before they come into the centre every day, and the screening of staff too before they come in as well,” Harvie said.
Harvie told the Nouvelle they only had six children registered as of Friday afternoon, and she wasn’t sure how their numbers would look over the next couple of days.
“I don’t know who has care out there right now and who doesn’t. Some people are nervous about coming to a group facility as well,” she noted.
With everything going on surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Harvie noted the main reason they wanted to open their doors was to give essential workers reassurance that their children are somewhere safe while they’re working.
“Thank you for all that you’re doing and that you’re providing for our community.”
Those interested in registering their child can call 780-826-2101.
