TCAG hopes to end 'childcare desert' in Allanburg

The Thorold Community Activities Group (TCAG) wants to start offering childcare services out of the community centre in Allanburg.

“That specific area has been identified by Niagara Region as what they call 'a childcare desert,’” says the TCAG’s Executive Director, Megan Gilchrist, in an interview with ThoroldToday.

“It would work well for the city and it would work well for the community because the timing that we would need it, leaves the building open for community use In the evenings and weekends."

Other community groups in Thorold, such as Thorold Community Theatre have also expressed interest in the Allanburg Community Centre, but the building is in need of extensive repairs.

Bringing in the TCAG as an anchor tenant opens the door to a variety of funding that can be used to renovate the building.

“We’ve applied to the Region for childcare expansion funding,” Gilchrist says. “Because we’re a licensed childcare provider and we have a service agreement with the Region we’re hoping that that will be received positively.”

During a city council meeting on Aug. 1, councillors voted to approve the project in principal, on the condition that the TCAG secures the funding.

"If TCAG’s application is successful, staff will work with the Board of Management to develop a business plan and License Agreement with TCAG that will allow for other compatible uses to optimize the value of this facility to the community," reads a City Hall report on the matter.

“We were looking for usage for the Allanburg Community Centre,” said Councillor Henry D’Angela, during the vote on the proposal. “This dropped into our laps so we have to support this to keep the centre going. It’s a great opportunity to recover costs and put some improvements into it.”

It is still very early into the project, but if it comes to fruition, the TCAG expects to launch the additional childcare services in late 2024, early 2025.

In the meantime, the group is keeping busy with all sorts of different projects. This Saturday, they are launching a monthly affordable produce market, in collaboration with United Way.

“Because it’s the kick-off we’ve got a couple of special things happening,” says Gilchrist. “The library is doing children’s programming. We have a mad science show at 4 o’clock and then there is an appearance from the River Lions at some point.”

The Thorold Senior Citizens Association is putting on a similar market the morning of that same day, also in collaboration with United Way, but Gilchrist stresses that the two markets are supposed to compliment each other.

“We’re not competing with each other,” she says. “They’re targeting more of the older adult community. We’re looking to target more families over at this end of town.”

The market figures into the TCAG’s strategic plan of building connections and supporting the local community.

That’s why Gilchrist hopes to see the Allanburg childcare project take shape sooner, rather than later.

“There’s a dire need,” she says. “We have 200+ kids on our waitlist. People are waiting years to get childcare. It’s not a case of build it and they’ll come. We could have built it five years ago and we would still need it.”

The TCAG's affordable produce market launches this Saturday, Aug. 19 between 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.