After years in the making, 37 new child care spaces have opened up in Fruitvale in a partnership between the village and the Beaver Valley Nursery School Society (Society).
“As a parent of young children, we feel extremely fortunate to have our child attending the new daycare centre in Fruitvale,” said parent Allyson Tremblay, in a Monday news release.
“Finding daycare in the area has been a huge challenge as we all know there is a shortage of quality daycare providers across B.C. This wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of the Beaver Valley Nursery School, the Village of Fruitvale, the Province of B.C. and the federal government.”
Twenty-five seats for ages three to five opened April 15, and 12 seats from baby to age three will follow on April 22.
The new daycare, called the Beaver Valley Childcare Centre, is built on land owned by the village, where the former middle school once operated.
The village is leasing the property to the Society, while the Beaver Valley Nursery School continues to operate in Beaver Falls.
“The Village of Fruitvale and area are very grateful for the invaluable support we received to build our urgently needed daycare facility, with a grant from the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund,” said Steve Morissette, mayor of Fruitvale. “This new facility will support many local families, aiding them in in their careers. It stands as a significant enhancement to our greater community.”
The announcement of funding for 37 new child care spaces came in May 2022.
“The province is focused on providing Fruitvale families with access to affordable, quality, inclusive child care,” said Katrine Conroy, Kootenay West MLA. “Improving access to child care spaces gives kids the best possible start and supports parents to plan a brighter future for their families.”
Now underway on the same expansive Columbia Gardens Road property is construction of a 31-unit complex for mixed income rental housing. Tenancy for that new build is slated for 2025.
Read more: Beaver Valley families to benefit from new child care spaces
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