Fort Erie preschool celebrates opening of second location

A preschool started in Fort Erie more than 40 years ago is celebrating its latest chapter.

On Friday afternoon, town staff and local dignitaries attended the grand opening of Fort Erie Community Preschool’s second site, located at 1495 Evelyn Avenue in Crescent Park in a building known many years ago as the Elise English School.

The preschool’s flagship location is on the Niagara Parkway attached to St. Paul’s Anglican Church, where it opened in 1984 with nine students and one teacher.

That site now serves 40 students and the new one has room for 72 students in its three classrooms.

“We do have families calling all the time telling us how desperate they are for child care,” said executive director Lindsay Ostermann, referring to the need for more daycare options in town.

The centre opened last month.

“It’s been wonderful to offer this to these families and open this space,” Ostermann said in an interview with Fort Erie Radio.

With government funding factored into the equation, it costs $19.80 per day to enrol a child, said Ostermann, a reduction from the $43 per day it used to be.

Niagara Region funded and approved the expansion of the new facility. And last year, the organization transitioned from a co-operative model to a non-profit.

This is a better format when it comes to funding, said administrative assistant Alexis Hedley.

It has also resulted in both sites being fully staffed and less dependent on parents volunteering time during the day.

However fundraising initiatives and bingo nights to support programs are something parents remain involved in, said Hedley.

She added there is “some availability” at the new site for preschool, but there is a wait list for toddler-aged children.

The first location offers kindergarten, while the new one currently does not. But it will remain open for care in the summer months, unlike the Niagara Parkway centre.

A large crowd of people filled the gymnasium on Friday afternoon, listening to speeches from staff at the preschool, as well as local politicians.

Mayor Wayne Redekop brought greetings on behalf of the Town of Fort Erie.

“It takes a lot of work to get something like this together,” he said.

Also in attendance were Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates, Regional Councillor Tom Insinna, Ward 1 Councillor George McDermott, Niagara Centre MP Vance Badawey, and representation from Niagara Falls MP Tony Baldinelli’s office.

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