Phones ringing off the hook as kids indoor recreational spaces open up in B.C.

As provincial restrictions continue to loosen and kids are getting vaccinated, indoor facilities for play and educationare getting ready to welcome back eager families.

On June 14, the province announced it would be moving toStage 2 of itsreopening planwhich allows indoor gatherings for up to fifty people.

That's whenKidtropolis,an imagination-based play centre in Richmond, started to hearphones ringing off the hook as families called tobook parties or celebrate milestone events, said CEOand President Ginny Lam.

"We definitely feel a buzz in the air," she said.

Indoor facilities targeting childhood learning are not considered essential businesseslike schools or daycare centres and rely nearly entirely on ticket sales. Kidtropolisoperators spent much of the last year unsure if itwould outlast the pandemic.

It closed onMarch 16, 2020, and reopened four months later with precautions.The 18,000-square-foot facility houses pretend grocery stores, salons, tons of costumes and pretend food. All of which are high-touch activities with a heightened risk of carrying germs.

"At some point our business was at 20 per cent of what our actual revenues were from previous years. Sowe took a huge hit," said Lam. "We were on a skeletal staff. The ownership team came in and really, it was [time to] roll up your sleeves."

Unlike Kidtropolis which has kept itself afloat with the help of grants, larger operations are asking for help.

Fund The Future

This week, Science World announced a $10-million fundraising campaign, Fund The Future. In 2020, Science World lost $13 million as a result of the pandemic.

They are looking to raise $5million for upgraded infrastructure, new exhibitsand updated technology. They are specifically planning to create a nature wall, a dinosaur excavation exhibitand implement immersive technology similar to the Imagine Van Gogh exhibitcurrently inVancouver.

The rest of the funding will go to reducing barriers for groups thatare less exposed toSTEM science, technology, engineering and mathematics through targeted and remote programing for women, LGBTQand Indigenous communities, disabled people, new immigrantsand people from lower income backgrounds.

"We need to make sure that every group has access to this type of learning so that we encourage them at an early age to get excited about science and engineering and math until they go on to be confident learners," said Science World president and CEO Tracy Redies.

Redies hopes these upgrades will be completed within a year. As for the provincial reopening plan, Redies saysthey areexcited to welcome the public back.

Magnitude of work

The Vancouver Aquariumhas been closed to the public since September, aftera brief reopening last summer, and is not ready to bring back visitorsimmediately.

"I can say it's not days and weeks away, it's probably someplace closer to the later part of the summer," said Erich Rose, senior vice-president of zoologicaladvancement at Herschend Enterprises."That's just because of the sheer magnitude of work that needs to be done," said Rose

Rose saidtwo thirds of the staff were laid off before Herschendbought the aquarium from theOcean Wise Conservation Association in April.

"We didn't even have a head of human resources, There was not anybody here for sales and marketing, So, we had to start with that. We're now down to the beginning to recruit for the management team," said Rose.

While they have some online educational resources, the current focus is on hiring a new team before any community outreach can occur.

"The morale is incredibly high because now we have something to work towards. We have something to look forward to versus it being closed and ambiguous," said Rose.