WILKIE – Infants and toddlers in Wilkie will soon have a safe space to go so parents can go to work. A meeting was held on Nov. 21 at McLurg High School to discuss the need for a community daycare and the response was overwhelming.
A new daycare is now in the works, with the goal of being opened by March 2026. Little Seedlings Daycare will have eight staff members to start with a total of 36 spots available for children. With government rules in place, only a few spots will be available for infants.
Earlier this year, a board was established to start working towards a community daycare for Wilkie families. The board worked on different federal funding grants, working with provincial government guidelines and getting everything started so the news could be delivered.
Chairperson Sandra Beck said the government-funded daycare will charge $10 per day per child.
“We will have to build from the ground up, so the board is currently looking at four different lots within the town that would work,” said Beck.
She is one of nine members of the board, which is divided into different committees.
“Our fundraising committee has ideas to help with finding ways to raise money to build, furnish and stock the new daycare, so they will be working on those ideas come January,” added Beck.
The daycare will be open Monday to Friday, yet operational hours have not been determined.
“This is an exciting time for our young families, and we hope that this much-needed amenity helps alleviate the pressure of childcare for them,” adds Beck.
She also added that a future goal for the daycare is to expand to an after-school program, which will aid parents who work past 3:30 p.m. and have no one to watch their school-age children.
