Children’s Centre turns one: Programs full, more staff needed as first anniversary nears
Whistler Question
Megan Grittani-Livingston
January 29, 2009

WHISTLER – Approaching its first anniversary on Feb. 1, the Pemberton Children’s Centre is a much-in-demand service thriving in its state-of-the-art facility behind the new community centre.

“We have had a fantastic year, better than we had anticipated for our first year of operation,” Claudine Lazic, co-chair of the Pemberton Childcare Society, said Tuesday (Jan. 27).

With nearly 80 families from the Pemberton, Mount Currie and Birken region using the licensed child care offered in the year-old facility, the centre’s three programs for children ages 11 months to five years all have waiting lists. The thriving demand is slightly exceeding expectations, said Stephanie Coughlin, past chair of the Pemberton Childcare Society….

“What we are extremely happy with is that the families are certainly pleased with our staff and our program operation, and families that have registered with us are having certainly more than one of their children in our centre at any given time,…” Coughlin said.

The centre’s staff is a vital part of its success, and both Lazic and Coughlin said more staff is the main thing the centre needs.

“If we had one wish, what would it be? It would be to hire additional staff,” Coughlin said.

Pemberton isn’t alone on that issue, Lazic noted, as neighbouring child care providers are feeling the same crunch. She called on the provincial and federal governments to contribute more funding for wages, so increased numbers of educated child care providers can be attracted to Pemberton without raising the expense for the community’s parents.

Coughlin said the society has “created a strong rapport” with Pemberton’s new Council, and they can help as advocates for child care, lease holders and service providers. Lazic expressed gratitude for the Village’s offer to cover the cost of the centre’s parking lot paving and Councillor Ted Craddock’s work to get playground lighting.

Community support has been critical for the centre’s formation and continued success. The society was able to raise about $1 million to get the facility built, and Coughlin said the resulting building has been simply “fantastic.”….