A new era has broken ground in Port Colborne, as a new YMCA Child Care Facility is on the horizon.
Tuesday, municipal officials and leaders from the YMCA gathered at the former Port Colborne Visitor's Centre to break ground on what will be an expanded area for children in the future.
Mayor Bill Steele says there's going to be lots of growth locally, so they have to accommodate that.
The site has been home to a number of different uses over the years since being built in the 1950s, from a police station, to a council chambers for the City of Port Colborne. The YMCA has multiple locations throughout the Niagara Region already, including in Port Colborne, as well as Grimsby and Welland.
CEO Christian Wulff says the child care centre will be so much more than just dropping your kids off - it'll be a place to learn.
To meet provincial funding requirements, construction will be completed by December 2026, with occupancy anticipated by late summer 2027.
The total project cost is estimated at $2.75 million. Federal-provincial funding will cover roughly 75% of construction, with the remaining costs funded through a $500,000 City loan repaid over 30 years and $250,000 allocated from the City’s existing capital roads and sidewalk replacement budget.
(Written by: Matt Latour)