Excerpts

After four years of dreaming, planning, and tireless fundraising, a dedicated group of volunteers is making real progress toward bringing a much-needed childcare centre to Austin.

What began as a simple conversation in 2021 has turned into a registered cooperative with architectural plans, community support, and a major provincial grant application that could cover more than half the costs.

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Childcare has long been a missing piece in North Norfolk. For years, families in Austin and the surrounding rural area have had to rely on in-home care or commute to Portage and other nearby towns to access licensed spots. The co-op aims to change that, not just to support working parents, but to strengthen the community.

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The project officially launched in August 2021, when a group of residents came together to address the childcare shortage. The original plan was to build a brand-new centre from scratch, but then a new opportunity came along and changed everything.

A local not-for-profit, which had been using a building in Austin as a drop-in rental space, offered it to the co-op completely free of charge.

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As a cooperative, the childcare facility will be partially owned and operated by the community. For just $20 per year, anyone can become a member, whether they have children enrolled or simply want to support the initiative.

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