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Penticton looks to construct childcare facility within city’s community centre

A childcare plan in its early stages is coming to council on Sept. 6
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The City of Penticton will be asked to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the YMCA of the Southern Interior of BC in support of developing a childcare centre within the community centre. (Black Press file photo)

A plan for Penticton to have an expanded childcare centre could get off the ground as early as Tuesday, Sept. 6.

The first steps have been taken in the proposed development of the facility, expanding on the existing Bugaboo University within the city’s community centre at 325 Power Street.

Council will be asked to establish a partnership with the YMCA of the Southern Interior of BC at its next meeting Tuesday, to move forward with the plan’s next steps which include finalizing a design, determining construction costs and submitting grant applications to the provincial government.

The centre would contribute to Penticton’s Child Care Action Plan, targeting a total of 722 new childcare spaces in the city by 2030.

Staff’s report to council outlines the potential impact the centre could have on the North Gateway area, also known as the city’s first-ever 15-minute neighbourhood.

READ ALSO: Penticton implements ‘bold plan’ for first-ever live, work, play neighbourhood

Planned for construction inside the Penticton Community Centre, the facility aligns with the “significant” housing investments that will soon come for the neighbourhood, according to those associated with the plan’s initial phases.

If council signs off on the partnership — known as the Memorandum of Understanding — the project will move straight to the design phase of the expanded and renovated Bugaboo University space.

The brand-new Edmonton Avenue Child Care Centre in Penticton is on track to open this fall. As part of the project, 116 new childcare spaces will be added to the city.

READ ALSO: Penticton child care centre still on track to open fall 2022

As for the proposed North Gateway facility, city staff says the provincial government recommends grant applications be submitted no later than January 2023.


@lgllockhart
logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com