"We're incredibly grateful for it," says Morris Mayor Scott Crick following last week's news that the community is finally getting a new daycare with added capacity.
After being overlooked in the initial announcement back in November, the town has now been included in Phase 2 of the expanded federal/provincial ready-to-move daycare project initiative. Government will provide a modular facility with an additional 104 childcare spaces in the community.
"First of all, the program that they've proposed here is a fantastic one," says Crick. "Because one of the biggest challenges for any non-profit rural centre is it just doesn't generate enough revenue to build up a capital fund for whether it's expansion, replacement or repair. And so, this overcomes, really, the largest financial burden that a lot of them will face during their existence. So, a very well-thought-out program."
Last week's announcement comes after much dialogue over the years between local officials and various levels within the provincial government centering around the unique challenges faced by rural daycares, and meets a long term need within the community. Crick explains the number of patrons at the Morris Early Learning Centre outgrew the space, forcing the daycare to operate out of two locations.
"It's been a less than ideal situation," he says. "So, having a new facility will not only help facilitate getting everybody back together, it also will have space for the future and future growth we expect in Morris."
As part of the deal, local partners are to provide a minimum of two acres of serviced land with 15 years of free rent and support services including snow removal, landscape maintenance and repairs in order to reduce costs for child-care operators, ensuring long-term sustainability of centres.
"One of the biggest challenges in applying for this was identifying where we did have space within the community. As a Town, we don't have a lot of reserved land and finding a place that would be ideal to locate a childcare facility near amenities was a bit of challenge," Crick explains. Ultimately, Council selected a spot near the community's sporting fields at the south end of town away from the main highway and within a short walk to local recreation facilities like the Multiplex, pool, and a new playground being built in the area.
Overall, Crick says Council did not find the local requirements of the program to be overly onerous.
The Mayor thanks those in government for recognizing the need for a new daycare with added capacity in town, and for advocating on its behalf. "Without their support, today's announcement including Morris would not have happened."