Image: Kent Simmonds / CFJC Today

By Dylana Kneeshaw

PARKCREST CARE AND LEARNING CENTRE

YMCA-operated child care facility opens at Parkcrest elementary

Sep 22, 2025 | 5:07 PM

KAMLOOPS — The newest child care centre in the city had its grand opening Monday (Sept. 22), operating out of re-built Parkcrest elementary.

Including the latest centre at Parkcrest, about half of the schools in the Kamloops area have some form of child care attached.

School District 73 board chair Heather Grieve says the project was paid for by the Ministry of Education as part of the Parkcrest rebuild, after the school burned down in 2019.

“It was an unfortunate circumstance that led to an opportunity and I guess in that sense crisis being an opportunity for change, where we were able to see the expansion of Parkcrest not only in terms of seats for classrooms, but also the opportunity for child care and the expanded size and use gymnasium in partnership with the City of Kamloops,” Grieve said.

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The YMCA is operating four child care facilities in Kamloops, including the Parkcrest Care and Learning Centre.

The facility has 28 spaces for infants and toddlers, along with 24 spaces for elementary-age students in need of before- and after-school care.

“We still have spaces that we’re looking to fill, but it is slowly filling up,” said Lauren Mathany, the YMCA BC’s senior vice-president of health equity, child care and camps. “We are fully staffed and ready to go. Just the process takes a little bit of time to make sure that kids are gradually welcomed into the program, so we’re just working through that now.”

Several vacant spots are available for interested families.