There is a level yard with swings and playground equipment, an impressive number of tricycles and wagons and raised beds for flowers and vegetables. The rooms are large and bright and arranged for optimum comfort. And there is always someone available to help. No wonder, the place was dubbed the "daycare hotel."
Ann Silberman, executive director of the Bowen Children's Centre, says, "In terms of the physical space, we consider ourselves very fortunate. The licensing officer calls our facility the 'daycare hotel' because it is so beautiful. And she is responsible for all the facilities in North and West Vancouver and can compare it to a lot of other spaces."
It hasn't always been like this. The children's centre, or the Bowen Island Preschool as it was called then, started 40 years ago in a parent's basement. A group of women identified the need for a place where young children could come together to learn and play. They organized a space and hired a teacher who was assisted by a parent. When the preschool outgrew the basement and moved to Collins Hall, parent participation continued to play a large role.
"I think that over the last 40 years, a lot of families' integration into Bowen Island happened through the preschool," Silberman says. "That was partly due to the fact that we had a policy of parent participation and people were required to get involved. And they discovered that being involved was wonderful. Often people whose children started together in preschool ended up developing life-long relationships and friendships.
"When I was the teacher, this was the only preschool in town. We had 45 to 60 families a year. I was always amazed how that could be sustained. But Bowen is a great place to raise children and we continued to grow."
In the mid-1990s, it became clear that the preschool needed a larger venue once again. It was a group of women, Silberman among them, who envisioned a building that could provide top quality early childhood education and childcare. It didn't happen overnight. But, with the support of the community, the current facility was constructed.
Silberman says, "I think that the reason the children's centre is such a marvelous place is because the whole community was involved in building it. The day Wolfgang [Duntz] brought us to see the location, a mother deer and a baby came out of woods and went across the land. At that moment, we knew that this was the site we wanted. The hole for the building was dug by Dustin Roocroft in his father's machine. When we put on the siding and the roof, the construction crews trained volunteers on the job."
The new building opened in 1998. Since then, Silberman says, "The vision for the children's centre has always evolved. It started with some dedicated moms who decided that this is what was needed. And they got it done. At the opening ceremony of the new building, Wolfgang [Duntz] said, 'Men could never have done that.' I'll never forget that.
"It is all the volunteer energy that makes the children's centre so diverse and rich. We are a community organization that is trying to meet the needs of community. That is why it has survived and, over the years, developed and grown. At first, it was only a preschool, now we also have a daycare and an after-school club. Currently we have 43 families that use the preschool, 36 families for the daycare and 38 families for the after-school-club.
"The children's centre is a parent-run organization. It is governed by a board of very dedicated people who take this very seriously and do their best. That they also have children who use the services makes it even more relevant."
The children's centre doesn't rely on parent helpers any longer as it has two teachers per class. Silberman said, "But the parents are still involved. They volunteer. That means they have a job but they can also opt out. That helps us keep the costs reasonable. For instance, if we need to get the stairs repaired, we have a parent who is an architect and has the expertise. With everyone helping out, we can tap into a huge range of expertise."
Silberman also had a message to the community. "Thank you, Bowen Island! We appreciate everyone who has contributed to the centre over all these years. Please come and help us celebrate. Bring a blanket or a lawn chair and wear your dancing shoes."
The children's centre's 40th anniversary party will be held on June 24 from 7 to 9 p.m. It features an impressive line-up of talent - many of them graduates (or parents of graduates) of the Bowen Island preschool.
