Kool Cats Kid Care’s second location beside Malaspina Elementary School has been finished and ready to move into since January.
However, anyone walking by the property on Malaspina can’t help but notice the lack of anything inside or outside the building, even signage.
According to Kool Cats, between the infant and toddler care and 3 to 5-year-old care to be offered at the location, there are around 380 families on the waitlist – families who are growing increasingly frustrated as the days pass with the building empty.
Kool Cats is also frustrated.
“We are waiting on the school district to sign a lease agreement with the city, and that has been the hold-up,” explained Jean Petrovic the Administrator of Kool Cats Kid Care. “We have got everything done on our end, we are just sitting here waiting.”
She explained that, until that agreement is signed, the Kool Cats staff cannot enter the building; they are not able to bring in furniture and equipment, put up signs, or decorate, and the people that have already been hired to staff the brand-new facility have been left waiting.
“I really don’t know what the hold up is,” Petrovic said. “It is a process to be sure. I don’t know.”
When My PG Now reached out to the School District, Ellen Bryden, SD57’s Privacy Compliance and Risk Management Advisor, said the following in an email:
“Please note this is a facilities and legal matter and we cannot discuss this or give official statements at this time.”
Acting Superintendent Pam Spooner and Board Chair Rachael Weber both did not respond to our request for a comment.
Julie Rogers, the City’s Communications Manager, only said “the City and the School District are in lease negotiations that are taking some time.”
Neither party provided much information on what is causing the hold up, or who is primarily responsible, though according to Petrovic the School District has had the lease in their hands since early December, where it remains.
Councilor Kyle Sampson has been working with Kool Cats since the start of the provincial grant application process, he called the construction a “real good news story.”
“It is an investment from the province, an investment from the city, and we are really helping support childcare spaces in our community,” he said.
“The unfortunate part now is the centre is finished construction, it is ready to be occupied, however we are in this situation where we are waiting on the school district to get back to us with their end of the lease.”
Sampson is hopeful this situation will be resolved soon, saying the daycare “should be open, it should be used.”
This is all happening as wait times for childcare in Prince George are at record highs – some parents who put themselves on waitlists the second they become pregnant are still not able to get daycare by the time their parental leaves end.
It has gotten to the point where some parents have lost their jobs as a result.
Once the School District and City complete the work on their end, Petrovic said it would only take a month for her staff to move in and open up.
“Then, we would be able to open our doors and provide the care we have been hoping to for almost three years,” she said.
“When we know we are able to get in to the building we will start contacting the families,” Petrovic said. “We really want to get this daycare providing care… it is so important, we understand that and we are trying.”
Sampson also extended a thanks to Kool Cats staff, City Staff, and the Province for all going “above and beyond” to help increase the number of childcare spaces in Prince George.
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