Teddy Bear Daycare to close one month early -- Daycare in Whistler just took another hit.
Whislter Pique Newsmagazine
By Claire Piech
2009-03-04

Teddy Bear Daycare will permanently close its doors at MY Millennium Place on May 31 this year, one month before the lease expires.

The announcement comes just days after the Whistler Children's Centre ended all programs at Spring Creek daycare as a cost-cutting measure.

Teddy Bear operators Whistler Blackcomb made the decision after MY Millennium Place Society confirmed it would not renew the lease…

"We did try to negotiate a longer term lease with them (MY Millennium Place) and were denied. We were indicated that there is a rental for the Olympics forthcoming, and their intentions were to turn it into an arts facility following the Olympics."

… public outcry from local parents caused the society to allow a third-party to operate the service for a limited time period.

"We have enjoyed operating it," said Kamstra.

"One of the challenges we found was the lease was up, and they (parents) want to have child care were they can drop off their kids and feel secure in the long term. They aren't willing to commit to that kind of short lease."…

"We do have a number of proposals for Games-time related uses that have expressed interest, and we are at various stages in pursuing those," said Marriot.

…Teddy Bear Daycare first opened in 2001 to meet a perceived need in the community of more after-hours, weekend and tourist drop-in childcare….