After more than two decades of planning and perseverance, the Elm Creek Stay N Play (ECSP) child care centre is finally a reality.
Community members gathered Thursday evening to mark the milestone with a celebration ahead of the new centre’s official opening. Guests were invited to tour the facility, enjoy refreshments and snacks, and enter to win door prizes.
Karla Last, board chair of the ECSP Build Committee, addressed the crowd and spoke about the long journey to bring the project to life.
“It is with immense gratitude and pride that I stand before you today to celebrate a milestone that means so much to our families, our children, and the future of our community — the opening of this brand new daycare,” said Last.
The expanded facility features three rooms and a full kitchen, increasing capacity to a potential 40 spaces, replacing the former 16-spot daycare that operated out of a small classroom. The new centre also includes state-of-the-art safety systems to support children’s well-being.
Standard Photos by Lana Meier
Last thanked the project’s many supporters, from local volunteers and community advocates to key financial contributors.
“This dream would not have been possible without the incredible support of many hands, hearts and minds,” she said, giving special recognition to sponsors, volunteers and those who helped guide the project through years of planning and fundraising.
A vision for the centre was first shared around 25 years ago in response to the needs of local working families. Last credited longtime advocates such as Jack Foote, Blaine Pedersen, Barb Lepp, Rod Savage and Rob Bryson for using their voices and expertise to move the project forward.
The daycare was constructed by Glenberg Design Builders, whom Last described as “an absolute dream to work with,” especially as the project was led by volunteers without formal construction experience.
She also thanked the Prairie Rose School Division for providing space on school property and acknowledged the Government of Manitoba’s Early Learning and Child Care Division for covering some of the project’s cost through a major grant.
“This daycare is not just a service—it is a symbol of what we can achieve when we come together with a shared purpose,” Last said. “Thank you all for making this dream a reality.”
The Elm Creek Stay N Play child care centre is expected to officially open its doors to families in the coming weeks after the last inspections have been completed and approved.
