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Cranbrook, BC (July 30, 2024) -- There is a desperate need for childcare in Cranbrook as there is in most areas across the province for young families and working parents with children. This includes both before and after school care, as well as all-day childcare. The Government of BC is offering grants to build childcare buildings, covering all the costs for the design and construction of these facilities, and only require the land be provided. The grant application has been submitted before the deadline of Friday, August 2, 2024.

Local childcare providers approached the City for help, and in turn, the City began talks with School District 5 as the Ministry of Education was combined with the Ministry of Children and Family Development to create the New Ministry of Education and Childcare, to provide childcare for the citizens of Cranbrook. After a year of meetings and letters, the School District notified the City that it was not moving forward on all-day childcare, instead opting to move forward with before and after school care. We agree this will help to fill part of the needs of many young families, but it does not meet the needs of dozens of families struggling to find all-day care.

The City stepped up to take this on because there is a significant need for all-day child care locally, and no other local agencies or organizations took the lead, to try to take advantage of these grant dollars.

In 2020, the City released a Child Care Action Plan revealing that only 20% of children under 12 had access to licensed childcare. The greatest need was identified for children aged 0-3 and school-aged children. A 2024 follow-up assessment confirmed this shortage, revealing a continued need for all-day childcare for 262 local families, which represents 8% of the overall 25 – 44 age cohort. Although the School District has committed to providing 60 new before and after school childcare spaces between Steeples Elementary and Gordon Terrace for the upcoming school year for school age children, there has been no increase in spaces for children aged 0-3.

With the decision of Council to move forward with this grant application, there have been many questions about municipal parks in Cranbrook, and exactly what they were set aside or created for. Most parks in Cranbrook were not created for natural habitat preservation. Municipal parks in Cranbrook, including Gyro Park, were created for community recreation uses from the time of their inception. 

Gyro Park, and most of all other parks in Cranbrook are zoned Community Recreation (P2 Zone) parks, which are already zoned for daycare uses. These parks are intended for the use and enjoyment by both residents and visitors, not for natural land preservation. For more details on the Community Recreation (P2 Zone) parks, please visit: https://cranbrook.civicweb.net/filepro/documents/573/?preview=2028

Contrary to concerns, this project will not lead to a significant loss of park space as over half the park will remain untouched greenspace. The current buildings and park facilities in Gyro Park cover 13% of the greenspace. The proposed childcare facility and parking will use 15% more greenspace for a total of 28% of the total greenspace at Gyro used for hard facility space. The new childcare building and parking will occupy approximately the same size of area as the existing pickleball courts. Following construction, Gyro Park will continue to feature 72% of its greenspace and retain all existing playground equipment, pickleball, and tennis courts. Plans also include potential park enhancements for all users, such as additional playground amenities and possibly integrating a new public washroom facility into the side of the new childcare building to extend the season for the wash building with heating. The new childcare building location may be where the existing wash building is located as well, final plans are not confirmed until after funding is secured. Any memorial or other newly planted trees on the site can also be moved if required. 

The City of Cranbrook owns very little land of any size, with only a handful of locations identified as potential sites for this proposed childcare facility. One location, which has been floated around by residents is the former Muriel Baxter School site, which is currently being used for the Muriel Baxter Dog Park. Although the City has an agreement with School District 5 to use this space for the dog park, the property is owned by the School District, not the City of Cranbrook and the School District is maintaining this site for future school use, not childcare space. 

This proposed childcare facility represents an opportunity to support numerous Cranbrook families in need seeking vital child care, and for attracting young families to Cranbrook (there is a shortage of young professionals of all kinds needed here), while maintaining the park’s value as a vibrant public space.

The City of Cranbrook remains committed to balancing community needs and ensuring that vital public spaces continue to serve the entire community. The addition of this childcare facility will provide essential support to local families and children, helping to meet the pressing demand for all-day childcare in our community.