GLENTWORTH — Glentworth Early Learning and Child Care Inc. (GELCC) was formed in September 2023.
“We're a board of seven local members — farmers, educators, business owners, and professionals with a mix of skills we’re using to guide the successful development of a licensed child care centre in Glentworth,” Kyla McLean, president of Glentworth Early Learning and Child Care Inc., tells the Assiniboia Times.
“Several of us have young or growing families ourselves, and we’re committed to building something that serves not just Glentworth, but surrounding communities like Fir Mountain, Killdeer, McCord and Wood Mountain.”
McLean notes there are child care facilities in communities both west and north of Glentworth, however, both have been near full capacity at times.
“It also left a large area south and east of us without any real options, which has made commuting to work difficult and, in some cases, not feasible at all. We saw the impact it was having on families, employers, and the school and knew it was time to do something about it,” acknowledges the organization’s president.
This is a new build. Mclean affirms that no existing buildings in their area could meet licensing requirements without extensive and expensive renovations.
“We’re constructing a 3,000 square foot facility next to Glentworth Central School. This location supports before- and after-school care, allows us to share school resources, and makes our community more attractive to families considering a move.”
The Ministry of Education has approved 42 child care spaces, which include three infant, five toddler, 22 preschool and 12 school-aged children.
McLean says at present, their group has raised $648,000 of their $750,000 goal. This includes $448,000 from the Ministry of Education, $125,000 from local sponsors, which you can see at , and another $75,000 through fundraising. You can also follow the group on Facebook, glentworthelcc.
“Our biggest event so far was Care for Cubs, a supper and auction that raised $50,000,” McLean adds.
“We've also done lots of hands-on fundraising like building and selling charcuterie and baking boxes, bottle drives, hosting a Valentine's supper and silent auction, and running tailgates at Glentworth senior ball games. We were also proud to receive registered charity status in July 2024, which allows us to issue tax receipts and apply for more grants.
“We’ve completed our blueprints with engineering consultants and just issued a request for proposals to contractors. Once we select a builder, we’ll be moving into the construction phase.”
“Funding for these new spaces is provided through the Canada-Saskatchewan Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, which provides an investment of nearly $1.1 billion over five years for child care in Saskatchewan,” according to the Government of Saskatchewan.
McLean also said that this project is more than just a child care facility; it’s about long-term sustainability.
“It supports our school, creates local jobs and helps families stay and thrive in our community. It’s been about a year and a half from first meeting to where we are today. We’re really proud of what our community has accomplished so far, and although we still have fundraising to do, we’re well on our way.”
A short video was created in May of 2024 as part of the group’s business sponsorship grant application and gives a good overview of the organization’s goals, as well as community support. You can watch it on YouTube
