New daycare moving ahead in Blyth says North Huron Council

BY SCOTT STEPHENSON

At its Feb. 18 meeting, North Huron Council voted to move forward with converting a portion of the Blyth Campground into the new location for a proposed day care in Blyth, following the discussion of a staff report from the township’s Director of Recreation and Children’s Services, Kelly Steiss. 

 

A 33-site section of the campground adjacent to the arena has now been set aside for a new daycare building. Steiss was also directed to take the steps needed to move the project forward. These steps include making a location application to the Ministry of Education and meeting with the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association (HPTHA). The HPTHA built the Blyth Campground and donated it to the municipality with the stipulation that they have unfettered access to the campground during their annual, weeklong celebration of the steam engine and its many modern descendants. 

 

Councillor Mitch Wright wanted to know if the proposed building plans include an attached playground, and was told by Steiss that there would be. 

 

Councillor Chris Palmer asked if it would be advantageous for the township to consider integrating a new library into the design work. “Where are we in that department?” he asked. “I know that’s not part of this motion, but, when you’re dealing with a building, you only want to build it once.” Steiss informed Palmer that scaling up the size of the project into a larger, multi-use building was certainly a possibility. 

 

Councillor Lonnie Whitfield had concerns about staffing another daycare facility. “We can’t get enough people here in Wingham as it is,” he pointed out. “Do you have any plans on being able to recruit these people?” Steiss admitted that the daycare would need to have a staff of between three and four early childhood educators, as well as a supervisor and a cook. “It’s certainly top of mind,” she said. 

 

Both Wright and Councillor Ric McBurney expressed concerns about potential complications that might crop up during the annual Thresher Reunion weekend, but Steiss believes that the campground can accommodate both entities. “My understanding is that the usage of the campground hasn't achieved capacity during the Thresher Weekend for some time,” she said. “My next stop is to meet with the Threshers, to talk about what this looks like. A daycare in the community, as we know, offers a lot.”
At its Feb. 18 meeting, North Huron Council voted to move forward with converting a portion of the Blyth Campground into the new location for a proposed day care in Blyth, following the discussion of a staff report from the township’s Director of Recreation and Children’s Services, Kelly Steiss. 

 

A 33-site section of the campground adjacent to the arena has now been set aside for a new daycare building. Steiss was also directed to take the steps needed to move the project forward. These steps include making a location application to the Ministry of Education and meeting with the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association (HPTHA). The HPTHA built the Blyth Campground and donated it to the municipality with the stipulation that they have unfettered access to the campground during their annual, weeklong celebration of the steam engine and its many modern descendants. 

 

Councillor Mitch Wright wanted to know if the proposed building plans include an attached playground, and was told by Steiss that there would be. 

 

Councillor Chris Palmer asked if it would be advantageous for the township to consider integrating a new library into the design work. “Where are we in that department?” he asked. “I know that’s not part of this motion, but, when you’re dealing with a building, you only want to build it once.” Steiss informed Palmer that scaling up the size of the project into a larger, multi-use building was certainly a possibility. 

 

Councillor Lonnie Whitfield had concerns about staffing another daycare facility. “We can’t get enough people here in Wingham as it is,” he pointed out. “Do you have any plans on being able to recruit these people?” Steiss admitted that the daycare would need to have a staff of between three and four early childhood educators, as well as a supervisor and a cook. “It’s certainly top of mind,” she said. 

 

Both Wright and Councillor Ric McBurney expressed concerns about potential complications that might crop up during the annual Thresher Reunion weekend, but Steiss believes that the campground can accommodate both entities. “My understanding is that the usage of the campground hasn't achieved capacity during the Thresher Weekend for some time,” she said. “My next stop is to meet with the Threshers, to talk about what this looks like. A daycare in the community, as we know, offers a lot.”