Gibsons centre stays afloat
Sunshine Coast Reporter
Tara Campbell
May 4, 2007

Despite the provincial government's recent decision to close the Child Care Resource and Referral centre (CCRR) in Gibsons, the child care community has found a way to keep the centre going -- at least for now.

Services will be sparse in comparison to what has previously been offered, but directors are happy to report that at least some of the services will be there for child care providers.

"We are still uncertain about the future, but we are relieved to have found some way to keep services, although limited, up and running for the time being," said Sechelt CCRR director Jan Miettinen-Hart.

In mid-March, after a tumultuous winter of uncertainty, Sunshine Coast Community Services Society executive director Vicki Dobbyn received news that Minister of State for Child Care Linda Reid had decided to close three of the provinces 45 CCRRs, including Gibsons. At that time it would have been easy to shut the doors and be done, but Dobbyn, along with other members of the child care community, went to work and started developing a plan to keep services available in Gibsons.

During those chaotic March days, when the future was disturbingly unclear, Dobbyn remained optimistic. At the time she told Coast Reporter, "We might have to relocate and scale back, but we are going to do everything possible to keep services available in Gibsons."

Dobbyn and her staff have scaled back and found a way to keep some of the services available in Gibsons. As for an affordable space to relocate, directors are still working on it. They have until August to find a new home.

Last weekend marked the final week of full-time service in Gibsons. Saturday was set aside for parents and other child care providers to come to the centre and say good-bye to staff. ... "This has meant so much to parents and other child care providers here. It's difficult to be leaving and hard to watch this happen," Woolford said.

"It's devastating to see them go. We've lost half our team. They were so great," Miettinen-Hart added.

Miettinen-Hart and her team have delegated resources from the main CCRR centre in Sechelt to both Pender Harbour and Gibsons, but she says it is becoming increasingly difficult.

"The ministry is asking us to do more with less money and less staff. We're struggling to keep things going and they keep stressing the fact that they want no 'crippled services.' But we're doing the best we can with what they are giving us," she said.

The CCRR centre in Gibsons will now be open Monday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days with one staff person. Sechelt's hours will be cut back as well, as staff is spread between locations. The priority now, according to Miettinen-Hart, is to find a new home for the Gibsons centre.

"We are looking at all possible opportunities. It might mean partnering with someone. We will do whatever it takes to keep things going," she said.