Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter
Nampa and District Daycare held its grand opening on Oct. 15, with many dignitaries on hand to help officially welcome the service to the region.
A group of determined individuals have been working tirelessly to bring the daycare to fruition in the community, with the doors officially opening on Sept. 10. Marie Dyck, who was part of the team who made the daycare a reality, says the facility is a welcome addition for families in the region.
“We currently have 10 remaining spaces and are accepting children aged one to 12 years old,” says Dyck.
“The community has been very supportive in opening the daycare in Nampa. We are hoping to be at capacity and look forward to adding to our playground area in 2024,” she adds.
The group decided to try to get a daycare opened in Nampa when it became obvious to them there was a childcare shortage in the region. Often, parents were put on a wait list at either the daycares in Falher or Peace River or were waiting for homecare spots to open.
“The daycare can be expanded in numbers in the future if there is a need shown,” says Dyck, who is happy with the support the facility is getting from the community.
“We are currently licensed for a total of 32, including 28 full-time children and four from Out of School Care. This could potentially be expanded to a total of 44 spots, if warranted.”
The grand opening welcomed approximately 40 people through the daycare’s doors, including Peace River MLA Dan Williams, Northern Sunrise County and Village of Nampa councillors, parents and children of the daycare, and Nampa and District Daycare board and staff members.
“The daycare’s initial hours were from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. but have now been changed to 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. to better serve our parents traveling to and from work,” says Dyck.
“Now that the daycare is up and running, we are extremely excited to have completed the process of obtaining licensing and staffing of our facility.”
The facility currently has three full-time employees and are in the process of hiring one part-time position. Dyck says they are seeking a full-time Level 3 Early Childcare Educator.
“The Nampa and District Daycare Society is offering a safe, caring environment for all children enrolled in our facility,” says Dyck. “We are giving kids the care and attention that they deserve as well as the tools and nurturing that will help them succeed in their future. We want all parents to feel secure in their childcare choice.”
Dyck says donations are always welcomed to help the daycare raise funds to help expand their playground and facility. They are currently unable to participate in large-scale fundraising until they’ve been opened at least a year.
If you would like to donate to the daycare, would like to enroll your child at the facility, or have more questions about the facility itself, please email nampadaycare@gmail.com