Space has already been filled for an affordable daycare set to open in Black Diamond next week. The Diamond Valley & District Boys and Girls Club will open Kids Club Daycare in Black Diamond Sept. 4, offering early learning childcare to youngsters ages 19 months to five years. It’s one of 70 non-profit early learning and childcare centres in Alberta benefiting from the Province’s affordable childcare program that charges $25 a day for the service. The pilot program was launched in Alberta a year ago, creating 4,500 affordable childcare spaces. The club currently provides before and after school care and summer camps in the upper level of the Oilfields Regional Arena for kindergarten to Grade 6 students. Shirley Puttock, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club, said the non-profit had been looking for a new facility to expand the program since it was approved for the affordable childcare program last spring. “This is a really good opportunity for us to move the little people over to that leased space,” said Puttock. “The older kids will stay in the arena so we have more space for them because we are getting busy with youth.” The Diamond Valley & District Boys and Girls Club is taking over the lease of the former Kids’ Stop Children’s Centre, which closed its doors at the end of June and moved to a second facility in Okotoks. Calls made by the Western Wheel to Kids’ Stop Children’s Centre in Black Diamond or Okotoks were not returned. “It’s beautiful and it’s move-in ready,” Puttock said of the building. “It’s going to be a big, bright space to offer daycare for our little people and not have to do any renovations at the club.” Puttock said she is excited to offer affordable daycare for families residing in the area. “Everybody is eligible for $25 a day - you don’t have to quality,” said Puttock. “If you can’t afford it people can apply for full subsidy. I have many people in my office saying, ‘I can go back to work now.” Jodie Sieben, the club’s director of operations, said Kids Club Daycare can serve a maximum of 44 children. “There’s a need for more affordable daycare,” she said. “We are full and we expected that with the affordability piece.” The new facility boasts about 5,000 square feet and, as an Early Learning Childcare Centre, will follow the new curriculum for early learning which is play, participation and possibilities. An outdoor playground will be built on the property in the coming weeks.
