Parksville Councillor Doug O’Brien has provided a notice of motion to council that the city decline the $2 million Childcare BC New Spaces grant and that the city retain control and management of the Parksville Community Centre (PCC).
O’Brien provided the notice during council’s Oct. 18 regular meeting.
The city was awarded the grant in May from the provincial government to complete renovations to the PCC to facilitate 91 new licensed childcare spaces and community programming. The province will fund 58 new spaces and the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) will fund 33. The city will partner with Boys and Girls Club of Central Vancouver Island (BGCCVI) to operate the BGCCVI Parksville Child, Youth and Family Centre.
The city announced it would close the PCC as a rental facility in December 2020.
Duane Round, president of the Parksville Community Centre Society (PCCS), said the society could not comment on O’Brien’s motion at this time. Round was elected president of the PCCS during its annual general meeting last month.
Council’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Nov. 1.
