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YMCA to take over operations of daycare at Jean Hamlyn Centre

June 18, 2020   ·   0 Comments

By Mike Baker

The Town of Orangeville has found a new operator to take over the Jean Hamlyn Day Care Centre. 

During last week’s Council meeting, it was revealed that the municipality was on the verge of entering into a three-year agreement with the YMCA of Greater Toronto to operate the local daycare, located at 65 McCarthy Street in Orangeville. This will come as reassuring news to many parents, says Mayor Sandy Brown, after the County of Dufferin decided to cease operations at the facility effective June 30. 

In his report to Council, Ray Osmond, General Manager of Community Services, says the YMCA were one of three applicants to take over running the facility.

“The YMCA is a qualified childcare provider and will lease the Town space and offer nurturing and educational programs, ensuring optimal physical, social, emotional and intellectual development for all children enrolled in its childcare programs,” Mr. Osmond wrote. “The YMCA clearly demonstrated measurable evidence that they have the philosophy and extensive experience that reflects the best practices in early childcare and education.”

The Sunflower School, which currently operates three facilities in Orangeville, and Sandbox Tech Childcare, another Orangeville-based daycare located at 70 Montgomery Blvd, also submitted applications to take over the Jean Hamlyn site, but were ultimately unsuccessful. 

The daycare will be closed for the month of July, while the Town carries out minor plumbing and aesthetic upgrades, with the YMCA expected to launch its operation on August 1. The organization will pay $100,000 a year to rent the space. 

While Coun. Debbie Sherwood was “very pleased” to hear the Town had secured a daycare provider for the space, she wondered what this transition would mean for families who made use of the service provided by the County. Under the previous operation, there were 65 full-time children registered at the Jean Hamlyn Day Care Centre, with a further 37 children using the facility on a part-time basis. 

Mr. Osmond says he expects those numbers to remain the same, while reassuring Coun. Sherwood that legacy families would be given first priority to bring their children back to the local daycare – and maybe even at a reduced cost. 

“The rates are very competitive, very in-line with industry standards. To compare with the previous operator, the YMCA is a little bit lower, a little cheaper than the County. The YMCA also provides accommodations for those that have economic issues – people can apply (for support), through the YMCA, much the same as they did through the County,” Mr. Osmond said. “Once this (deal) is approved, the YMCA will move forward to advise people on a list through the previous operations that they have first refusal if they want to consider using this new program.”

Mayor Brown, who was the first to reassure the public last summer that the Town would endeavour to find a new childcare provider for the site should the County cease operations, called this new deal a “win, win, win” for all involved.

“Sometimes we get things put in front of us like this, which is a win, win, win all around for those involved,” Mayor Brown said. “We’ve been able to save the daycare, which was very much needed in this particular neighbourhood. All the families that were concerned about being thrown out with the bath water are not going to be, and the daycare rate is very close, or even a little bit less than what was being previously paid.”

He concluded, “All said, this is a very good thing for our town.”

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