Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Chad Klassen

NEW HOME FOR DAYCARES

Daycares, parents relieved to find a new home after stressful week of searching

Sep 13, 2019 | 7:32 AM

KAMLOOPS — Two Kamloops daycares that have been caught up in the shuffle following the Parkcrest Elementary fire last week have found a new home.

Courtney Greenman from L’il Scholars and Jessica Keith from Happy Honeybees toured the Kamloops Christian School on Friday morning. They say the three classrooms available for lease at the school work for what they need.

“It’s very relieving that we do have somewhere to go,” said Keith. “So now the real work is ahead of us, trying to get licensing, get all of our stuff, make it feel like home.”

The two have been scrambling for a space all this week. One minute, they thought they could stay at Happyvale, but earlier this week the school district told the daycares they needed to move.

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“We had an idea that, as soon as the fire had started, we were going to have to move,” said Greenman who’s been running her daycare for 16 years between George Hilliard and Happyvale. “On Sunday, they said we were going to be okay. But by Tuesday, we had a month’s notice.”

Image Credit: CFJC Today

Four Directions is moving to Happyvale from George Hilliard, where the Parkcrest students are moving.

For parent MacKenzi Chenette, who has been stressing all week about the move, is thrilled her child’s daycare is going to the Kamloops Christian School.

“It is amazing that they found a spot,” she said. “The community really came together to help find a spot, and I think this is probably the best outcome we could’ve asked for. I’m excited to see what the space looks like. I’m happy it’s on the North Shore and that we can keep our kids together and close.”

Each daycare will be leasing one space from the Christian school. Keith and Grennan will also share a play space like they do at the Happyvale space.

Cuzzeto says his school was asked about space the day after Parkcrest Elementary burned down. The school wanted to do anything it could to help the community.

“Part of our mission statement is to serve others, and in this way, and for me being a Kamloops boy, if we can help out in any way that we can with the Kamloops community, then I’d love to do that,” noted Cuzzeto. “For us, even though we weren’t directly connected to Parkcrest, we were connected through many of the organizations that are either being moved or shuffled around. I had lots of calls. I put out to the school district, to the city, that were willing to help.”

Both daycares were asked by School District 73 to be out as soon as possible. But that now both have accommodations, the goal is to be out of Happyvale in two weeks, latest Oct. 1.