Recent History – 1999
June 8, 1999
By Jill Northan, Contributing Writer
The City of Dawson Creek is spending $40,000 on the old library building beside Centennial Pool, making the building a suitable working facility. The building will then comfortably house City Kids Day Care, the Dawson Creek Historical Society Archives and storage for the City, says Parks and Rec director Bernie Yaremichuk. The improvements are being done to the top floor.
“We’re moving our City Kids Day Care from Crescent Park (Elementary) School on 17th Street, ” Yaremichuk said . “We’re renting right now but we own the old library building. We’re doing some alterations and we’re not going to have to pay rent.”
The day care, which is used by approximately 25 to 30 families, is expected to move by August 1.
A lot of thought has been used in the planning of the renovations which will give them seven more spaces for children, said Chante Patterson-Elden, coordinator of the day care.
“We’re designing it the way we want it.” Aesthetically a good environment and more space for the children, a staff-room, and other improvements have the staff looking forward to the move.
Parks and Rec use the bottom floor of the building for after school care and summer programs for older children.
Dawson Creek Historical Society member, Day Roberts said, it’s a plus for the society.
“It’s a bigger area for us and the city is putting in proper walls, doors and lighting. And they’re putting in a proper (fire-proof) vault for us.
The society has been in the building for a while but space was cramped and always temporary. The renovations will almost double their portion of the top floor.
The up-graded vault will store all their archival material.
Rather than just general storage for the City, the building will now also feature a City vault for safekeeping of records.