Belfast daycare scrambles to find new home and avoid closure

CHANCESdaycare in Belfast is looking for a new home to avoid closing its doors Aug. 21.

The group offers child care to children five and under. It was originally located at the Dr. John M.Gillis Memorial Lodge a long-term care home but COVID-19 pushed it toBelfast Consolidated School.

Now, as restrictions ease and students are looking at returning to the classroom in the fall, the school may not be a viable option because of capacity regulations.

"Businesses are reopening and parents are returning to work. Who's going to care for their children is one of the things that parents lose sleep over," said Ann Robertson, executive director of CHANCES.

My partner and I are going to have to trade off on child care and it means that I will be working less and he will be working less. Rilla Marshall, parent

"We're all trying to find the best solution for children and families in this situation."

Robertson said familiesin the Belfast program have been offered spots in other places on the Island.

'Working less'

For one family, though, driving long distances for child care is not realistic.

"It's not really feasible for us. If the daycare does close at the end of August really, I'm going to have to take some leave from my work," said Rilla Marshall, whose four-year-old daughter has been enrolled in the Belfast daycare centre since September 2018.

"My partner and I are going to have to trade off on child care and it means that I will be working less and he will be working less."

I know it's important to the young families. PC MLA Darlene Compton

Marshall said she was angry when she got notified on July 16 that the program would be closing. According to her, there were rumours in the community that closure was a possibility but thought there was little communication regarding the effort to relocate.

"I felt like they just kind of dropped the ball and didn't feel like it was worth it to maybe reach out to those who are invested in the daycare."

'I know it's important'

The MLA for Belfast-Murray River, however, said she is working hard to ensure that there is some sort of daycare in the area.

"I'll do whatever it takes to make that happen," said Darlene Compton. "I know it's important to the young families."

Compton said one option could be finding a new location in the community. Another would potentially involve brainstorming a way to keep it in the school.

"I think we've seen that across the country, the impacts of not having daycares and not having a place to safely have your children during the day so that you can go to work," she said.

"It's no different in rural communities as it is in major centres, and as the MLA I want to ensure that we have that service available for the local residents."

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