Since the BC NDP adopted their "$10/day" childcare platform in 2017, fee reductions have benefitted almost 100,000 families, providing up to $900 in subsidy for toddlers in care.
Costs are coming down for preschoolers and kindergarten kids as well, and these days, some gov.-subsidized full-time spots are the same price or cheaper than our family-funded flexible care. This month, 9 of our occasional program families left for full-time spaces.
Is it because they don't need flexibility anymore? We don't know.
But we wouldn't be a "flexible" daycare if we couldn't roll with it! Sometimes up. Sometimes down.
This summer, we expanded our service at Storybook to school age kids, so families can attend flexibly with us until children are 12 years old at our East Van location! Click here to join that program!
But sadly, this fall, our 12th in our big, bright, beautiful Broadway centre, will be our last.
We've been hosting an autumn clothing swap since 2014, and this year, it will be our biggest ever!
We have kids' clothes, toys, books, and other items donated to our 2Loops Family Store, as usual, and the whole daycare is up for sale as well! Including the art, and the toys, and our furniture. And a yogurt making machine!
A catalogue of the daycare items is live on 2loops, and you can donate one diaper box of additional items Aug. 28 - Sept. 1, for the last swap and sale at 203 - 950 West Broadway.
All Broadway family accounts will be closed on Sept. 16, 2023, and those who'd like to switch over to Storybook Occasional Care only need to complete the application here, and let us know.
We'll be open for the gradual entry to kindergarten, and our last daycare day will be Sept. 15, 2023, but we hope to see as many families as possible at the closing out party, so please spread the word!
After 12 years, the memories at Buddings Broadway for families and teachers will continue to shine, and while we want to keep a positive note, we know the closure is a sad time as well.
Recent Buddings alumna Brittany Hopkins wrote about her Buddings experience as a newcomer to Vancouver, on her blog Playground Talk last week, and shared a story reminding all of us here at Buddings of just how special our Broadway centre has been to so many families.
Thank you, Brittany, for your words, and thank you to everyone, for the amazing 12 years. We are truly grateful to have had your support.
Please do come see us Sept. 22 and 23, or better yet, join us on the East Side, where our new programs will continue to create memories for kids aged 18months to 12 years!
It's the beginning of our new adventure and we'd love to see you there.