Parents upset after school division displaces kids, rents daycare space to Folklorama pavilion
They say their kids are being displaced from Bumper Crop Early Learning Centre's multipurpose room beginning Friday in preparation for the Punjab pavilion's opening Sunday and operation during the annual summer cultural festival's first week.
The Winnipeg School Division's decision to rent out the space means the daycare will have to move into smaller indoor spaces or, possibly, outdoors in hot and potentially dangerous air-quality conditions.
And parents expect increased traffic around the school at 2090 Jefferson Ave., posing an additional safety risk.
'I'm trying to find other childcare for the week,' said one who didn't want to be identified. 'I might even just take Friday off.
'It's pretty frustrating. The kids are there all day. I'm concerned if they're outside in the heat all week, and I don't think that's ideal. And they'd go inside if it's smoky, but then there is very little space for everyone as they'd be crammed in with the toddlers.'
Friday's forecast calls for a high of 28 C, feeling more like 30 C with the humidex. Environment Canada is also warning of widespread smoke, which will affect air quality.
WSD superintendent Matt Henderson said Thursday the division has worked with the daycare from the beginning to ensure minimal disruption to families.
'The daycare has access to the multipurpose room during the day, and more classroom space throughout the month of August,' Henderson said. 'WSD and the daycare have worked collaboratively on this.'
But daycare executive director Anna Mae Clark, said that's not how it happened.
'They didn't even consult us,' Clark said. 'We were just told this is happening.'
Clark said she understands why parents are frustrated, but said there isn't much she can do.
'We're just trying to do the best we can,' she said.
Parents said they're sympathetic with the daycare.
'Their hands are tied, and it's the school division doing this,' one said.
Meanwhile, concerns over air quality remain front and centre.
On Thursday, poor conditions from wildfire smoke forced the cancellation of the Winnipeg Jumpstart Games, affecting more than 600 children aged six to 12.
The event, organized by BGC Winnipeg (formerly Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg), was shut down due to Environment Canada warnings. The air quality health index hit 10+ — the highest level— classified as a very high risk.
Environment Canada advises that vulnerable groups, including young children, should reduce or avoid outdoor activity during such conditions.
scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca
Scott BilleckReporter
Scott Billeck is a general assignment reporter for the Free Press. A Creative Communications graduate from Red River College, Scott has more than a decade's worth of experience covering hockey, football and global pandemics. He joined the Free Press in 2024. Read more about Scott.
Every piece of reporting Scott produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
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