SCARBOROUGH, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 10, 2011) - After receiving news early in the morning on Friday, June 10 that the Progress Child Care Centre in Scarborough would be closing by the end of the day, parents and staff of the facility began feverishly calling Mayor Rob Ford and Councillor Norm Kelly to save the centre from closure. The mayor has been invited to a parents' meeting that has been called for Sunday, June 12 to secure funding to keep the centre afloat.
| What: | Parents' Meeting with Mayor Rob Ford |
| Who: | Parents and staff of the Progress Child Care Centre in Scarborough |
| When: | 4:30 pm, Sunday, June 12, 2011 |
| Where: | Progress Child Care Centre, 3 Glamorgan Ave, Scarborough (close to Markham Rd. and Eglinton Ave.) |
"It is the city's policies and underfunding that are choking public child care, so only the Mayor can save this centre," said Maria Wisniowska, who has worked at the Progress Child Care Centre for 11 years.
"I'm desperate! I can't work to support my children without this child care centre," said Dillon Ghanthan, a parent with two children ages 6 and 3 years old who attend the Centre. "We need a funding commitment from Mayor Ford that will keep our child care centre open this Monday and every Monday afterwards."
The Progress Child Care Centre has been serving struggling Scarborough parents for 30 years and some of the facility's staff have been working there for over 15 years. The public child care centre has been struggling with chronic underfunding and a city-imposed infant intake freeze, despite record-long waiting lists. The closure will leave the families of 90 children stranded.
People for Progress Child Care is a coalition of parents and staff of the Progress Child Care Centre in Scarborough who are fighting to keep the centre serving their community.
Contact Information:
416-832-6120