Calgary parents face long lineups for daycare - Action News
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Calgary

Calgary parents face long lineups for daycare

Some parents in the southwest community of Rosscarrock want city hall to address what they call a desperate need for daycare in Calgary.

Some parents spend the night outdoors waiting to register kids for daycare

Camping out for childcare

12 years ago
Duration 2:24
Some parents waited for more than 17 hours to get into a before-and-after school care program.

Dozens of parents lined up overnightat the Rosscarrock Community Centre in order to be first in line to register their children for a local daycare.

"All night I was here," said Azita Afsha, who held her place in line with a lawn chair. "I just went to the car to get a bit warm and just came back. It was a very hard night."

Afshar said she had to line up on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. in order to get a spot for her son.

Afshar and her husband both work, so she says daycare is crucial but every place she has looked including other daycares, day homes and after school programs, have all been full.

Johannes Vanleenan arrivedThursday at 4:45 p.m. but wasonlyable to get a space for one of his three children into the daycare.

"It's disappointing. You would hope that we would have more opportunities in Calgary for families that need to work and need to have child care," said Vanleenan. "Our mayor needs to start focusing on the issues of the city versus fighting with the business associations and homebuilders association."

Vanleenan says he is not sure what he will do now for the two children who still need daycare.

Dozens of parents line up in the gym at the Rosscarrock Community Centre to register their children for daycare. (CBC)