In addition to providing childcare services at the new rec centre, BGC Lethbridge will also help fund the construction of a large indoor play centre in the facility.
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On April 6, 2023, BGC Lethbridge entered into a 10-year agreement with the Town of Coaldale to provide childcare services, afterschool programming, and summer youth camps at the Town’s new multi-use recreation center, once it opens in 2024.
In September 2021, the Town posted a Request for Proposal on its website to solicit applications from regional childcare providers to provide childcare services located within its new multi-use rec center. As the successful applicant, BGC Lethbridge will have access to over 3,000 square feet of daycare space and 2,500 square feet of play area in which it will offer daycare for children as young as 3, expanded out of school care programming, summer youth camps, and drop-in services.
“Since 2019, BGC Lethbridge has been a proud member of the Coaldale community,” said Nadine Veenendaal, Club Lead at BGC Lethbridge’s Jennie Emery location. “I’m excited to expand the reach of BGC Lethbridge in Coaldale, and to better meet the needs of our growing community! BGC Lethbridge is thrilled to be partnering with the Town of Coaldale and to provide services at the much-anticipated community rec centre!”
“On behalf of Coaldale Town Council, I’d like to congratulate BGC Lethbridge for being awarded the contract to provide childcare services in the Town’s new rec center,” said Town of Coaldale Mayor, Jack Van Rjn. “Right now, daycare options in Coaldale are limited, while afterschool programming remains oversubscribed. That’s why we wanted to make sure that quality childcare services would be available at the new rec centre, once it opens. A lot of people don’t realize it, but providing access to quality childcare is about more than supporting safe and healthy childhood development. It’s also about supporting working parents and by extension, the local economy,” explained Van Rijn. “This is why as a Council, we firmly believe in the importance of expanding access to quality childcare in Coaldale, and are excited to be working with BGC Lethbridge in order to do just that.”
In addition to providing childcare services at the new rec centre, BGC Lethbridge will also help fund the construction of a large indoor play centre in the facility. “Just recently, BGC Lethbridge received approximately $300,000 from the province’s Community Facility Enhancement Program for the construction of an indoor play structure in the rec centre”, said Russ Tanner, Director of Community Services for the Town of Coaldale. “This is great news because once we match this grant funding with some of the funding received through our Coaldale STRONG! Capital Campaign, we’ll be able to build a structure that rivals some of the biggest and best in southern Alberta.”