Cash for child care needed
Alaska Highway News
12 Jul 2006
By: Christopher Sun
EXCERPT

Eight new childcare spots for infants will open in the city this fall, with more to follow in a couple of years if a non-profitchild care centre can get enough financial support.

"We purchased six city lots on the other side of Central School,"said Stacey Miranda, Oscare Childcare Centre's fundraising director. "With the community growing the way it is, there's a real need to expand."

Currently Oscare provides childcare to 65 children up to 12 Years of age at their present location, the Marquis Centre. They Are creating eight new spots at a cost of $30,000 for infants up to 36 months old because of the demand. Three spots have already been reserved by the Oil and Gas Commission for their employees, which costs $900 a month each for 10 hours, and Miranda expects the remaining five will get snapped up.

"All of a sudden a couple companies said they really need infant care," Miranda told city council Monday in a presentation. There are very few places that offer that."...

Mayor Jim Eglinski said getting council support shouldn't be A problem....

As for the city contributing funds to the new facility, Eglinski wouldn't comment saying that wasn't asked and city staff would have to explore it as such things could set a precedent.

Ideally, Miranda said construction of the new facility would Start next summer, with the new 7,500 square foot centre opening July 2008. But there are variables such as raising enough funds And finding workers....

"Without childcare parents have difficult time working," said Miranda, a working mom. "I'm using it right now, I have three kids."...