MIDALE — Licensed child care has officially arrived in Midale with the grand opening of the Midale Daycare Inc. on Nov. 25 – a milestone nearly three years in the making.
"It was February 2022 when we started the board," said Rachel Brochert, the director of Midale Daycare Inc., reflecting on the journey to establish the facility.
Since then, the project has navigated challenges, including finding land; securing a building project, furniture and everything needed for a child-care facility; meeting licensing requirements; and assembling a team of 12 staff members.
"Things really picked up after the building was complete [earlier this year]," Brochert said.
Staffing was one area where the day care found unexpected ease.
"We were really lucky," Brochert said. "We got a lot of great resumés right off the hop," with applicants coming from both Midale and nearby communities like Weyburn.
The day care, located in a modular building near Midale school, has space for up to 58 children, ranging from six weeks to 12 years old. Currently, it is caring for 41 children aged six months to six years, with waitlists for this age group.
"We still have some school-age spots. And we are looking for infant spots in the near future," Brochert said.
The community's support has been central to the day care's success. Initial funding was secured through a combination of government grants and a loan from the Rural Municipality of Cymri, Brochert said.
"Thank you to the board members that worked really hard to make this happen, and thank you to the community of Midale," said Brochert. "Without them, this wouldn't have happened."
There were also some big fundraisers in the beginning, and then they have their annual fundraisers in December.
Community members have expressed excitement about the new day care.
"Everybody is so amazed how nice it looks in here and just how nice and smooth everything's been running so far," Brochert shared.
Looking ahead, Midale Daycare Inc. is hoping to expand its preschool capacity to meet demand.
"We're going to look at expanding our preschool spots, [opening] more spaces in the future, just because it seems to be where the biggest demand is," Brochert said.
The day care is also gearing up for its latest December fundraiser to ensure ongoing support for its operations. The Double Vision Twin Magic and Comedy night is slated for Dec. 14 at the Midale Central School. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., dinner is at 6 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $75 each or $575 for a table of eight. For tickets, contact Lana Hoium at 306-577-8458.
Brochert added that there are always things that they need, like toys, decorations, etc. She updates their wishlist and posts the latest news on the Midale Daycare Inc. Facebook page.
