Shellbrook Chronicle Th The voice i off th the P Parkland kl d ffor over 100 years VOL. 102 NO. 18| PMR #40007604
Shellbrook, Saskatchewan Friday, May 3, 2013
What a scream
Daycare project hopes to break ground in 2013 Despite some early setbacks, the board for the Happy Hearts Childcare Centre Inc. are pushing forward in hopes of a 2013 construction. According to board chair, Karisa Klaassen, the group has reached the 13 per cent mark of their fund raising goal and are currently waiting for the Town of Shellbrook to receive the land title for the property before moving forward. “It is kind of wait and see right now. We’ve been told that it is going to take a few months before (the land is available)... but it could still possibly be in the fall but we don’t know that for sure,” said Klaassen. When the idea first came about, a group of concerned residents approached the Town in search of a letter of support and, in turn, the Town pledged to provide a piece of land, at cost, for the building to be constructed on. The Town has since offered up a piece of property near the Centennial Leisure Park for the childcare centre. Though the non-profit charitable organization has not yet reached their fund raising goal, Klaassen said that they plan to go ahead with construction as soon as it is possible, which will mean mortgaging a larger portion of the project than initially planned. “We are still fund raising like crazy but we’ve kind of decided that we will carry a higher mortgage right now and just try to pay it down as quickly as we can because we need this facility open, sooner rather than later,” said Klaassen. That need is evidenced in the demographic information collected by the group. The town of Shellbrook has grown by 16.5 per cent over a five year period, according to the 2011 Census. With many day home operators closing shop over the past few years, many parents have been left have had to scramble to find childcare. At present, there are no licensed child care centres in the immediate area while the average income of residents over the age of 15 in Shellbrook is $24,612– almost a $1,000 lower than the provincial average of $25,601. The board was formed following last year’s Provincial Government announcement of 33 licensed childcare being awarded to the
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Jim Lennard and Bonnie Schmirler ham it up in the Golden HOST Players drama production at the Shellbrook Theatre on the weekend. Story and photos on page 11
community of Shellbrook. With that approval came a construction grant of $140,293, or approximately 28 per cent of the $500,000 projected building cost. However, this does not include architectural services, lot services, landscaping, furnishing, educational supplies and other unforeseen expenses. Once up and running, the facility will also receive a government operating grant, which will help offset the cost of operation. Since the facility will be licensed, low income earners can also receive a subsidy to help with the cost of childcare. The facility itself will be a raised bungalow offering 3,300 square feet of floor space. (see artists rendering on page 9) The group has been busy with fund raising activities since the project was announced
and that won’t change any time soon. So far this year, the project has been the recipient of funds from a variety night organized by the Golden HOST Players and a wake-athon by students of WP Sandin Public High School. On the horizon is Friday night’s After Tax Party, organized by Groenen Accounting and the board is in the process of organizing their second annual Texas Scramble golf tournament at the Hidden Hills of Shellbrook Golf Club, on June 15. The group is also in the process of organizing a Ladies’ Night Out fund raiser at the Shellbrook Community Hall, set for November 16. The Happy Hearts brick campaign has also restarted this spring. The campaign provides residents and
businesses a lasting legacy with their donation in the form of an engraved brick. The bricks will be visibly incorporated into the construction of the project. The group, with the help of the Shellbrook Kinettes Club, will be the beneficiary of funds from a Trip of the Month Club, which is set to begin operation in the near future. Due to the organization’s relatively short history, they were unable to receive a lottery licence to organize the club themselves so the Kinettes Club has agreed to take this on and hold the money in trust, according to Klaassen. “We are really excited that they were able to pick that up for us,” said Klaassen. See photo on page 9
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