ROCKWOOD – The Wellington Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) and County of Wellington held the grand opening for a child care centre and EarlyON Child and Family Centre at Sacred Heart Catholic School here on June 23.
Funded by the province, the new stand-alone child care centre will accommodate 49 children under the age of four, including 10 infant, 15 toddler and 24 preschool spaces.
Warden Kelly Linton expressed his excitement for the long-anticipated centre, which was originally to be completed in November of 2020 but was delayed due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
County Warden Kelly Linton expressed his excitement for the long-anticipated centre. Photos by Paige Peacock
“We’re finally here today, together, celebrating this exciting opening because we know that quality childcare plays an important role in helping parents work, having full confidence that their children are being looked after in a safe, high-quality licensed childcare facility,” Linton said.
“The centre will become a vibrant hub for families to make new connections and engage in many valuable county programs and services.”
The board partnered with the County of Wellington to ensure the project would both meet the needs of the community and address child care and family support facility requirements.
The operator of the new child care centre will be the YMCA of Three Rivers, while the EarlyON Child and Family Centre will be operated by the Community Resource Centre – both having been awarded through formal expression-of-interest processes in 2018.
The new stand-alone child care centre will accommodate 49 children under the age of four.
Mayor Chris White, on behalf of the Township of Guelph/Eramosa, also voiced his enthusiasm and gratitude to the school board, county and other partners that made the centre possible, noting such facilities are “absolutely critical.”
Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott said thanks to the support of the municipal government, local school board and the involvement of the YMCA and Community Resource Centre, “families in our area will have the option to choose licensed childcare for their children right here in Rockwood.”
“An investment in childcare is an investment in our future,” Arnott said.
“And today, we look to the future with confidence and hope, knowing that the children who will be cared for here will be on a path to reach their full potential in life. “
Luisa Artuso, director of the county’s Children’s Early Years Division, said for her, the themes around the project were partnerships, perseverance, patience and purpose.
“But purpose to me is the most important and that is the children and families,” she noted.
Hannah, one of the ceremony attendees, separates insects while exploring the new centre.
Artuso said in speaking with child care supervisors about the work they do, an important part of these centres is getting to know people and building trusting relationships so they can then meet the needs of children.
“That is what all children deserve,” she said.
“And to me, aside from licensed childcare, which we all know is extremely important, it’s those connections with the families that are extremely important and what makes the centre to me, the heart hub of this community.”
Artuso added, “Let’s continue this pathway and open up more childcare centres because every child deserves the right to high quality licensed childcare.
“And every family deserves the right to be supported in a very inclusive way that’s respectful to them, and to meet their needs.”
The centre, which will officially be open to families next week, will be open from 6:30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
For more information visit www.wellington.ca/childcare.
