Daycare facility to be built at Okanagan College in Penticton

PENTICTON – Ground was officially broken on a much-need daycare facility in Penticton today, Nov. 22.

A $1.2 million dollar daycare facility will be built at the Penticton campus of Okanagan College, according to a media release. The provincial government has contributed $500,000 to the project.

“There is definitely a need for this capacity,” Tanya Behardien with the Penticton and District Community Resources Society says in the release. The group, which runs eight child care programs in the area, will operate the daycare once it's up and running by the middle of next year.

Construction on the 64-space daycare is expected to get underway in February, 2017. 

“The new child care centre will benefit the community, but is also a major benefit to our students and staff,” Okanagan college president Jim Hamilton says in the release. “The survey that was part of the business case for the daycare clearly identified the need for this.”

The new child care facility will be located at the north end of the campus, with access via Timmins Street. The 4,000 square foot facility will be constructed to passive house design with a goal to meeting LEED platinum standards.

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