Some Burnaby parents who were left scrambling to find summer childcare are getting a reprieve, as their daycare facing imminent eviction has been given an extension.
Pastor Mark Lewis of the Central Christian Assembly church at the corner of Imperial Street and Kingsway said he decided to extend Sir Andrew’s Daycare’s eviction notice from June 30 to Aug. 31. He said he did so with the families who had signed up for summer programs at Sir Andrew’s in mind.
He said the extension does not change the fact that the church wants to end its relationship with the daycare. Lewis previously told the Now church leadership was unhappy with the daycare which he said had been chronically behind on rent, among other issues.
Sir Andrew’s manager and board chair both contest Lewis’s version of events that led to the eviction.
The daycare’s manager Linda Marsh-Beauchemin said the extension will also give parents more time to find a new daycare between now and September.
“Obviously we’re very excited because now we have 62 more days for our families to find placements and for us to maybe find another open door,” she said.
But, she said, finding a new home is a challenge. There are limited spaces available that meet daycare regulations and those that do are often too expensive, according to Marsh-Beauchemin.
But Marsh-Beachemin and the board of Sir Andrew’s, which is not-for-profit, remain determined to find a new home where they hope to continue providing low-cost daycare.
