A baby and staff member play inside the newly-opened infant area at Prince Albert Co-operative Childcare Association. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

Meeting a need

P.A. Co-operative Childcare Association renovates and adds infant spaces

Jan 18, 2021 | 1:32 PM

The Prince Albert Co-operative Childcare Association has completed major renovations to be able to accomodate infants.

Director Jodene Demorest told paNOW there’s a huge need in Prince Albert for licensed childcare spaces for kids under 18 months. She estimates there’s less than 50 of those spaces total in the entire city.

“It was the greatest demand,” she said. “That’s what my phone calls were for everyday – those babies. And when you’re a community service and you can’t meet that need, it’s a little bit of a drive to meet it.”

Around two years after Demorest and the co-operative’s board began looking into what it would take to add infant spaces, their new program for babies aged six weeks to 18 months opened Dec. 16. All six spaces are now full.

Before and after pictures of the building’s basement, which now houses the two-room infant area. Left: (submitted/Jodene Demorest) Right: (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

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As part of preparations, around $200,000 worth of renovations were completed on the co-operative’s nearly 40-year-old building. Demorest explained sprinklers were installed, along with new windows, exterior siding, and stairs in the backyard. The walls in the basement were also entirely replaced.

“Just to have the whole project done and the goal complete, it feels really good,” Demorest said. “Yesterday, just rocking a baby, feeding them a bottle, I was like ‘yup, this is what I work for.'”

The outside of the building, including exterior siding and windows also got a makeover. Left: (submitted photo/Jodene Demorest) Right: (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom