GUYSBOROUGH – Progress is happening on plans for new licensed daycare centres in Guysborough and Canso.
The YMCA of Cape Breton posted an announcement on their webpage last December stating that they would be opening a childcare centre in Guysborough. The YMCA has partnered with the Strait Regional Centre for Education (SRCE) to open a centre in the Chedabucto Education Centre/Guysborough Academy. The new centre will accommodate 26 children and is expected to open prior to summer 2023.
In January, the SRCE issued an invention to tender with a closing date of Feb. 9 for daycare renovation at Chedabucto Education Centre/Guysborough Academy.
The Journal asked the SRCE for an update on the project last week and was told by SRCE’s Coordinator of Communications Deanna Gillis on May 3 that, “The tender for the daycare renovation project at Chedabucto Education Centre/Guysborough Academy has been awarded to Iron Maple Constructors located in Dartmouth. The SRCE is now working with Iron Maple Constructors to finalize project documentation and a completion date which will be shared publicly when this information is finalized.”
Last February, this newspaper reported that the Canso and Area Childcare Association was moving forward, in collaboration with the SRCE, with plans to open a childcare centre in Hazel Hill at Fanning Education Centre/Canso Academy. At that time, the association had just received news from the SRCE that the province had given the SRCE permission to hire an engineer to start the floor plan.
Asked for an update on that project, Gillis wrote, “The SRCE has also engaged CBCL Limited to perform a feasibility study, conceptual design and probable cost estimate for a daycare co-location at Fanning Education Centre/Canso Academy. The SRCE expects this work to be completed by the end of June 2023.”
At this time, Guysborough County has no licenced childcare centres.
