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Groups work together to bring child care service to Rimbey

TREENA MIELKE/Rimbey Review

Another child care service is soon coming to Rimbey which will no doubt ease the minds of working families, and provide a healthy, safe place for children after school.

Thanks to the joint efforts of Rimbey Neighbourhood Place, the Town of Rimbey and Rimbey Elementary School, an after-school program could be up and running by September.

Kathleen Hull-Beagle, a Neighbourhood Place board member, and co-ordinator Carla MacKinnon, have worked together with representatives from the school and the town to bring the program to fruition.

“People have tried to start this program for many years, but there have been barriers,” said Hull-Beagle. “However, surveys have indicated a very clear need for after school care.”

Hull-Beagle said a survey conducted recently which included families with children attending the elementary school showed that 48 children would use such a program one or two times a week, 14 children would use it four to five days a week and 16 would use snow days and professional development days.

According to the survey, children who would need the after school program ranged in age from five to 12 years.

Comments from the parents participating in the survey were positive.

“Yet another asset and protective factor for our community,” one parent commented.

“Thank goodness a group from the community is taking an initiative. It’s somewhat disappointing it wasn’t done earlier. Community/school partnerships have long since been identified as a preventative measure in sustaining communities and children.”

“As of right now I would not use this as I am a stay at home mom, but I would love to use it anyway just for my kids to do new things,” another parent commented.

An after-school program such as the one being initiated, would definitely be beneficial, said Hull-Beagle.

“Such a program might provide parents with an opportunity to go back to work and simply open doors for many opportunities. Our aim is to have it at a low cost and accessible to everyone who needs it. We want it to be a healthy, safe place for kids.”

Hull-Beagle said the after school program, which is to run from 3:10 to 5:45 p.m. is to be located at the elementary school, but children would participate in visits to such community facilities as the library and the pool.

“We want it to be a community based program,” she said.

The program is to be for children from kindergarten to Grade 6 and is to eventually be expanded to include the summer months.

For more information parents may contact Neighbourhood place at 403-843-2030.