With our ability to move to a bright, beautiful new building came the need for some changes in order to make the Quesnel & District Child Development Centre both child and family friendly. Thanks to Variety - The Children's Charity we were able to make many of those changes; changes that not only improved the functionality of the space but also the accessibility.
One of the biggest concerns that we heard was the lack of wheelchair accessible washroom facilities in Quesnel. Variety was able to facilitate the construction of these for us. The Child Development Centre's washroom is now one of the only places in the community of Quesnel that facilitates youth who have special needs. With its youth sized change table and a great functioning lift, families are able to make trips to town without needless worry. We have seen so many families come to the centre to make use of these great facilities and the feedback we have gotten is incredible!
Another aspect of the renovation was the Family Room and Playroom. These rooms are often used for family groups, childminding, playgroups and meetings. With the help of Variety we were able to install a one way mirror to connect the two rooms. This mirror allows parents to view their children at play as well as interacting with other children.
Our Pregnancy Outreach Meeting Room also received some help from Variety. With new plumbing, thanks to Variety, our groups are getting larger and larger. The kitchen has already seen many groups, potlucks and meetings. The new Pregnancy Outreach Room is always a lively place!
The therapists at the centre are all trained in splinting for children. Unfortunately, they did not have adequate space to store and prepare their splinting material. Thanks to Variety we now have a splinting corner with cupboards, storage and a working sink. This has made a big difference to many of the children attending the centre.
Heidi Kuhn Quesnel & District Child Development Centre
