A conditional use for a new licensed home daycare has been approved by Niverville Town Council.

Mayor Myron Dyck says especially in the new year daycare has been a major topic of conversation. He notes council is always looking for ways to support and enable the private sector in creating daycare spots.

Dyck says the daycare planned on using their front yard as a designated play area which caused concern from a neighbour.

“We heard reason from the homeowner of why they thought the front yard should be usable for fencing, and council had the opportunity to speak to side yards and rear yard requirements. At the end of the day council made a condition that the fenced area be placed in the side yard.”

Pamela Stoesz is the owner and operator of PS Daycare. She says they have been running an unlicensed daycare and with councils approval and a final inspection they will be licensed and able to add more childcare spots.

“When you are an unlicensed daycare in Manitoba, you can have up to four children total including your own, and none of those four can be under the age of two. When you are a licensed daycare in Manitoba, you can have a maximum of eight children including your own, with a maximum of five children under the age of six and no more then three of those children can be under the age of two.”

Stoesz says right now there is only one licensed daycare in Niverville and with all of the recent growth the demand is high. She notes once PS daycare is licensed they will take on four more children and immediately start a wait list because there have been more families inquiring about spots than are available.

Stoesz says her family bought the house they are in specifically so they could have a designated daycare space.

“Our main play space is a 900 square foot open concept space with a dedicated bathroom. We also have a loft with a slide that is indoors just to stay active during the winter, because the winter months can be long and with regulations we can only be outside when it is warmer then minus 25 with the windchill.”

Stoesz says in a typical winter they are cut off from the outdoors fairly early on. She notes it feels fantastic to get support from the community and take the next step forward.

PS Daycare Indoor Slide