Chidcare at SFU
Finding quality childcare is a common stress experienced by families with small children, and moving to a new neighbourhood often means starting all over again in the search for a reputable care provider for your young one.
If you’re about to become a resident of UniverCity, you can scratch this worry off your list.
The long-awaited UniverCity Childcare Centre will open its doors to its first ever preschool cohort on April 2nd, 2012. Twenty-five bright and shiny faces will soon be making this beautiful space their home away from home, to be joined by a second class once enrolment numbers are high enough.
Unlike the other SFU Childcare locations, this brand new centre will offer top priority to residents of UniverCity.
Located within two minutes walking distance from the child-friendly Verdant and Serenity complexes, and just up the hill from University Highlands Elementary School, this building is truly unique. Built to exacting environmental standards, it is the first building in all of Canada to meet the Living Building Challenge, the most advanced green building rating system in the world. What does this mean? It means children will be learning and playing in a space that actually improves its local environment by being fully water and energy-independent, and that enhances rather than detracts from the beauty of its surroundings.
This spirit of environmentally-friendly building permeates the entire UniverCity community.
The Centre follows the renowned Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood learning. Reggio Emilia emphasizes inquiry-based learning and focuses heavily on the child’s environment and broader community as important elements to a preschooler’s education. The indoor and outdoor play spaces have been designed with this philosophy in mind, effectively creating a laboratory for self-directed learning. The outdoor play areas, created by innovative local designers Space2Place, are closely integrated with nature; every day, aided by their caregivers, children will have the opportunity to explore water, light, air, gravity, vegetation and seasonal change. Indoors is flooded with natural light, and boasts a safe and pleasing open concept design made entirely from locally sourced building materials.
The SFU Childcare Society is currently handling enrolment for the UniverCity Centre. If you are interested in adding your child’s name to the list, please contact the SFUCC. All information can be found on their website: www.sfuchildcare.ca. The Centre offers childcare from 8am – 5:30pm, Monday to Friday, and costs $800/month. Part-time spots are also available.
UniverCity residents are understandably excited about the Centre’s opening, and we anticipate the Childcare Centre will become another cornerstone of our growing community.
