Workers urge council to secure proper funding to keep Coronation Park open.
Lambton County councillors must show leadership and continue to invest in quality child care by working with the community to secure additional funding from the province to ensure Coronation Park remains open for generations to come, said CUPE, representing 38 early childhood educators (ECEs) at Coronation Park.
“Coronation Park is a leader in providing quality child care in our community,” said Mary Aikin, president of Local 2926. “This stellar reputation is because of the hard work and dedication of many child care workers and the wise decisions made by Lambton County, over 42 years, to support a county-operated child care centre.” The centre serves 100 children in the main day care program and 69 children in before and after school programs, with a long waiting list for families wanting their children to have their best start in life at Coronation Park Day Nursery.
“The decision to keep Coronation Park open is a political choice that councillors must make to ensure future generations of children have the same learning opportunities that thousands of children from Lambton County have benefited from for over four decades,” continued Aikin. “We recognize that the centre is facing a funding shortfall from the province and we are asking council to work with the community to secure proper child care funding for Lambton County.”
“We met with senior staff last week to go over our ideas on how to keep Coronation Park open,” said Aikin. “But this is a funding issue and we would like to work with council to lobby for adequate provincial child care funding for our community so Coronation Park can continue to be the premier child care centre for our children.”
“We are in the midst of a provincial election and this is the time for council to work with us to make sure provincial candidates are committed to securing adequate child care funding for Lambton County to keep Coronation open,” said Aikin. “The funding picture for child care can change after the June 12 provincial election and our community should ensure we elect a provincial representative that is committed to keeping Coronation Park open – that is why we are urging council to work with us to secure proper funding for Coronation Park.”
“Our community deserves a quality child care centre like Coronation Park,” said Aikin. “Closing the centre is shutting down quality learning opportunities for generations of children and cutting off an investment that our county has been making for over 42 years.”