The City of Kamloops is putting the finishing touches on an application for provincial money to set up a new daycare on the North Shore, as part of the Build Kamloops initiative.

Community and Emergency Supports Supervisor Natasha Hartson says the plan is to repurpose the Parkview Activity Centre to address a critical shortage of childcare space in Kamloops.

“There has definitely been a need out there. The opportunity for Parkview sort of presented itself as we were identifying the new seniors centre [at Cottonwood Manor],” Hartson told Radio NL. “The opportunity to move some of the programming out of Parkview to that allowed for maybe the potential to revision what Parkview could be.”

“It’s in a great neighbourhood, and adjacent to another daycare as well as right across the street from McDonald Park.”

Hartson says while the funding will determine how many spaces will be available, the City of Kamloops is hoping for at least 100 for children under the age of 12. It’s the same funding stream that led to a 36-space child care facility in Station Plaza downtown, that is set to open next month.

She also says at this time its not clear if the existing Parkview Activity Centre will be utilized, or if the building will make way for a new purpose-built facility.

“I think the building from my understanding is quite old, and it might not be as easy to convert to childcare in its current form,” Hartson said, noting all options are on the table as the application is finalized.

“Additionally, the opportunity that exists to build something new is really also quite great in that it could provide more spaces, better use of space, and be more specifically designed for childcare.”

And while a Build Kamloops project timeline released by the City estimated that the facility could be operational sometime next year, Hartson says that is dependent on a number of factors.

“That will depend on the exact plan that we end up putting forward [before the Aug. 2 deadline] and if we get approved and those types of things,” Hartson said. “We are working with community partners as well as working internally to put forward that application as quicky as we can.”

“It isn’t as quick as the other projects you mentioned [the new seniors community centre and a renovated indoor soccer dome], but we’re working towards next steps.”