MAPLETON – Township officials are inviting local residents to join a campaign to press the province on local options for licensed child care.
“Mapleton is a desert when it comes to licensed child care,” reads a statement from Mayor Gregg Davidson posted on the township’s website.
“Although we have the second youngest population of children under the age of six in the County of Wellington, we have not had the opportunity to have a licensed child care centre in Mapleton. This is something that we want to change,” the mayor adds.
In his statement, Davidson explains provincial capital funding for child care is largely tied to school boards.
“Therefore, schools are the applicants for funding to build child care on the school property,” he stated.
“In Mapleton, the public schools in Drayton and Moorefield require their space for future growth and cannot support a child care centre.”
For the past few months township officials have been working with the County of Wellington and the Wellington Catholic District School Board on potential local options.
Davidson says the Catholic board wants to build an elementary school in Mapleton to serve both Mapleton and Minto.
A fact sheet included with the statement indicates the local Catholic board is proposing the construction of a 213-pupil, kindergarten-to-Grade 8 elementary school in Mapleton.
“In our discussions with the school board the idea of adding a child care centre came to life,” Davidson states, adding that, as proposed, the Mapleton Child Care Centre would have 64 full-day care spots and would not be operated by the Catholic school.
“That means it would be open to all children in our community under the age of four,” he notes.
The Province of Ontario has recently announced provincial funding to build licensed child care facilities and Davidson says Mapleton wants to be considered for an allocation.
To boost the township’s chances, the municipality is urging local residents to send letters of support and sign a petition.
Letters can be dropped off at the PMD Arena or at the Township of Mapleton office by Feb. 25. Petitions will be at both of these locations and other locations throughout the township.
On Feb. 19, Davidson and recreation manager Amy Grose will be at the PMD arena from 9 to 11am to answer questions and receive letters.
