Some Child Care Options re: G20 School Closures

Those of you who don't have children may not know that the G20 Summit is prompting the closing of some downtown schools on Thursday and Friday.

Interesting dilemma for working parents... after all, you can't just enrol your kid in daycare for a day or two.

Happily, this just rolled in to my inbox from our councillor, Adam Vaughan:
"Dear Ward 20 Residents,

On Friday evening my office received notice that the Toronto District School Board and Toronto Catholic District School Board have decided to close the following schools on Thursday June 24th and Friday June 25th, 2010:

- Alpha Alternative JS

- Beverley PS
- Island Public/Natural Science School
- Ogden Junior PS
- Orde Street Junior PS
- St. Joseph College School
- St. Michael Choir School
- The Waterfront School

We realize that this creates a difficult situation for parents in the downtown who must work and will not have alternate options for the care of their school age children this week.

Although other schools in the City remain open, all student transportation has been cancelled by all of the publicly funded school boards on Friday, June 25th. [NB and kids in those schools are quietly being encouraged to stay home.]

Working with staff of local community-based agencies, along with support from the City Manager and my office, the following options have been made available free of charge. Please see the attached map for the locations.

Alexandra Park Community Centre (APCC)

This Thursday and Friday only - Alexandra Park Community Centre (APCC) will offer

supervised programming for up to 120 children from Kindergarten to Grade 8. Please register for this program by calling Donna.

Drop-in between 8:30 – 9:30 am only. Programming will run until 5:30 pm.

Call Donna Harrow for details or to check availability.

Contact: 416.824.9136

Location: Alexandra Park Community Centre, 105 Grange Court (entrance from Cameron St, just west of Spadina)

Scadding Court Community Centre (SCCC)

This Thursday and Friday only - Scadding Court Community Centre (SCCC) will offer

supervised programming for 80 children from Kindergarten to Grade 6. Please register for this program by calling Walter.

A drop in for an unlimited number of children in Grades 7-8 is also available.

Program hours: 8:30 am to 5 pm.

Contact: 416.392.0335 ext. 240

Location: S/E corner of Bathurst & Dundas, 707 Dundas Street West

University Settlement House (USH)

University Settlement House (USH) is open on Thursday June 24th only. USH is closed on Friday. USH’s drop-in program can accommodate up to 25 children from Kindergarten to Grade 8.

Drop-in between 8:30 – 9:30 am only. Programming will run until 6 pm.

Call Chantelle Flowers for details or to check availability.

Contact: 416.598-3444 x 228

Email: chantelle.flowers@usrc.ca
Location: 23 Grange Road, off McCaul St, between Dundas and Queen St W."
Good luck!

Vanessa