Funds would mean Crowe expansion; Money could provide space for trades training and child-care at new high school
Trail Daily Times
December 18, 2008
By: Dave Thompson

The school district is hopeful the province will fund an expansion to the new J. L. Crowe currently under construction -- that will include a trades training space and child-care spaces for the community at large….

…. A report presented at Monday's meeting of the board of education by Greg Luterbach, director of human resources and technology, says the submission outlines two additions to the new Crowe construction plan - an additional "industry training space," to be added to the shop area, and a new day-care facility attached to another portion of the new building.

A cover letter to Minister of Education Shirley Bond emphasizes the necessity of the proposed additions to the new Crowe, which is at the 50 per cent completion stage, and states the proposed additions "could efficiently and effectively be incorporated into the current capital project at this time with significant financial savings."

…The letter supports the day-care component by stating, "We (this area) are already in the midst of mass retirements and upheavals as our skilled employees retire. One of the barriers in the retention and recruitment of skilled individuals or families to our area is the lack of affordable day-care facilities."

… In support of the child-care space, the proposal notes a two-year waiting list for current facilities for younger children, and a total of 294 children of all ages whose families cannot find care spaces.

The proposal cites a pressing need for the district and many other local businesses to recruit replacement workers. It cites the facts that Interior Health "already struggles with qualified staff passing on jobs in our region due to a lack of day-care space. Small business and innovators require staff that need child-care options."

The district itself has one of the oldest teaching forces in B.C. and will need more than 75 teachers to replace retirees in just the next five years.

Another plus for the day-care area is that the district is discussing a retrofit of an existing space for the purposes of leasing it to a private day-care provider. A new space would be cheaper and more efficient than a retrofitted one.

While district staff have been consulting with local business and government, "due to the tight timelines, we do not have confirmed partners" supporting the submission, but the district is confident many will come on board.

"Given the demand in the community" and the tenor of ongoing discussions with potential partners, "we see no issues getting support for this proposal."

"Given a short extension, we anticipate letters of support from municipal governments, chambers of commerce, the Childcare Referral and Resource Centre and many others," the proposal adds….