Jo Gawler invisions Ray of Sunshine child care and drop-in center as the community resource local and visiting families in Revelstoke need.
The drop-in care and date night resources will offer parents an hour or two of free time to run errands or reconnect Gawler, owner and operator of Ray of Sunshine explained to the Revelstoke Mountaineer.
Ray of Sunshine is the latest project Gawler has tackled in an effort to help fix the lagging childcare resources in Revelstoke, including the Revelstoke After School Society. In a Nov. 14 city council meeting, Gawler explained how Revelstoke could be classified as a childcare desert, alongside various communities throughout B.C.’s Interior and across Canada.
“I had a lady just send me a registration yesterday, she gave birth two months ago,” Gawler said. “She’s asking, ‘can I please be on your waitlist?’ In our town, in a lot of towns it’s getting scary trying to find space for your kids.”
Ray of Sunshine will in no way fix Revelstoke child care needs Gawler explained, but it’s one more step for a town growing with families.
“There were over 100 kids born in Revelstoke last year. For somewhere like Calgary, that’s a drop in the bucket. For Revelstoke, that’s roughly 100 job vacancies and 100 more kids looking for a childcare spot in town.”
The long wait for space
Getting Ray of Sunshine prepared for opening hasn’t been a simple exercise, even with community support, Gawler explained. She has been working with contractors to reinstall parts of the facility washroom, communicating with Revelstoke licensing officers and building architects about final details and recently received final approval from fire inspection.
“Every time I look up I feel like there’s something left to do,” Gawler laughed. In an effort to be ready the moment the green light is given, learning centres around Ray of Sunshine were prepared seemingly for kids to walk in and start playing then and there.
“It’s helping us see what longer term is going to be our reality,” Gawler said. “This is just a small moment in the overall time of Ray of Sunshine.”
What shape Ray of Sunshine’s physical space could take in the future has already been in discussion. Part of her presentation at the Nov. 14 city council meeting, Gawler spoke in favour of allowing increased footprint sizes for retail rental spaces in the Mackenzie Village development. The ability to expand the space could be a key growth opportunity for Ray of Sunshine or possibly other childcare options
“I said in that meeting, it’s something I’m still thinking about, we can knock out this wall and expand if needed.”
Mackenzie Village is zoned for maximum 450 meters squared spaces for future renters, with auxiliary walls separating the larger spaces into small units depending on occupancy.
As challenging as the early childhood education industry might be at the moment, Gawler is certain staffing Ray of Sunshine and future child care resources in Revelstoke won’t be the larger issue. Gawler explained she’s been contacted by infant and toddler educators and early childhood educators who are looking for work in the region, and she’s eager to provide job opportunities with Ray of Sunshine and future projects. While the staff resources might be there, space remains a key hurdle for early childhood care in Revelstoke.
“So many of our spaces, our resources for parents are seasonal in this town. That’s the hurdle I’m jumping every time.”
Providing space inside and outside
Construction of a future playground zone is still in the works at Mackenzie Village, but that won’t stop the Ray of Sunshine team from providing outdoor resources for kids.
“My background is in nature space learning,” Sawyer Ellingboe, Ray of Sunshine’s lead early childhood education facilitator explained. “I’m going to be taking advantage of not just the green spaces around us but throughout town.”
Ellingboe is already planning outdoor excursions to Moose park, located close to Ray of Sunshine, summer trips to Williamson Lake and walks along the Camozzi trail once construction completes.
“The kids coming here, they’re going to be growing up in a town that really values our outdoors,” Ellingboe said. “I’m excited to help foster that and bring those forest learning principles to Ray of Sunshine.”
Nature opportunities will also be brought into the centre, with sensory tables already staged with a bugs unit for opening day. All of it centered around the idea of giving kids autonomy and resources within their spaces and their learning.
“We want to help them have ownership of their community,” Gawler said.
A reading nook with shelves of books pressed against the wall at one end of the facility is coupled with a quiet activity area, staged with smaller lego that can be switched out with duplo blocks for younger children. The center of Ray of Sunshine is sectioned into two main imaginary play spaces, with costumes lined up beside a village shop scene and buckets of dinosaur, animal and community figurines.
A resource for parents and for the community
Current childcare plans for Ray of Sunshine include full-day childcare for ages 3 to 5 years old from Monday to Thursday with operating hours of 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Daytime drop-in childcare for 18 months to 9 years old will run Friday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and an evening childcare option will be available for ages 6 to 11 years old on Fridays and Saturdays, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Drop-in care and evening care are still in the final stages of planning, but full-day childcare programming starts with the opening of Ray of Sunshine.
“I just want there to be options for parents and caregivers,” Gawler explained. “For earlier job starts, for those nights with friends and some wine, for those last minute needs.”
Drop-in times and evening care could be key resources for families visiting Revelstoke, Gawler hopes. Whether staying at Revelstoke Mountain Resort or new to the area for work, she hopes Ray of Sunshine can bridge those short-term childcare needs.
Ray of Sunshine could also be a resource for those working in Revelstoke’s child care ecosystem, Ellingboe invisions.
“Once a month we have a sort of meet up time here, let people who work with kids come and connect. There are so many nannies, respite workers who don’t have community resources and are maybe looking for new activities and outdoor trails around that others can tell them about.”
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