After 40 years of servicing families in the Central Okanagan, the Childhood Connections centre in Kelowna is in its last days after the province didn’t renew its contract, which was its main source of funding.
A rally was held Saturday with hopes of sending a message of just how crucial the business is to local families.
“This organization has been here for 40-plus years, taking care of that contract serving families, serving childcare providers,” said Childhood Connections board director Betty Cleland.
“And through this proposal, we lost out in a bid. We’re in jeopardy as far as staying open.”
If the business can’t secure funding, its future is unknown.
“(It) leaves us with a lot of unanswered questions,” said Cleland.
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“Cleary, the community has told us over again we’re doing a great job. Never has the government told us we’re not so, why rip apart what’s not broken?”
The rally was organized by parents and families who are pushing for the provincial government to find another way to keep the centre active, but also for government to take a closer look at why it’s so important to the community.
“They should look with their hearts, and not just with dollars and cents, and they have to look at the whole picture,” said centre user Moshe Yaroski.
“The toy library will be shut down and none of it will be going to the new organization,” said centre user Melissa Costa.
“They’re going to be using that grant money to set up a new building and new toy library and recreate something that already exists.”
The decision ultimately removes a facility that services both sides of the bridge.
“(B.C. Premier David Eby) needs to look at this closely,” said West Kelowna city councillor Garrett Millsap and centre user, “and think why we need to close this down when we have so many kids using this facility and not just Kelowna; West Kelowna too
The successful bidder for the contract is the YMCA. However, Childhood Connections centre staff say the fight is not over yet.
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