A fresh attempt is being made to save a Regina preschool and learning program. After serving vulnerable children for the past 49 years, the Regina Early Learning Centre was forced to end its program due to a loss in major donor funding. However, a new board of directors is attempting to revive it. When the non-profit lost its donor support, the old board opted to become a government-supported daycare, though parents disagreed with the decision. “For fifty years it’s been sustainable. We’ve always found the money. We’ve always fundraised,” said Ashley Denomie, a supporter of Regina Early Learning Centre. Parents and supporters then met to install a new board of directors that is committed to keeping the preschool program intact. The centre has long offered educational support to children at a crucial time in their development. “To be able to get the preschool is our main goal to reopen because we’re not a daycare,” said Rochelle Sugar, chair of the Regina Early Learning Centre. “It’s not a daycare. There’s so much more to Regina Early Learning.” Regina Early Learning Centre is currently $300,000 in debt, with its previous board saying sustainable funding options had been exhausted. “Unfortunately we were unable to secure something sustainable, and our very, very last resort was the conversion,” said former chair Diane Stephanson. The struggle to maintain programming comes at the start of a new school year. “We do have plans to move forward in a positive manner as fast as possible. However, there is a lot to do,” said board member Kiara Schille. The Early Learning Centre was scheduled to become a daycare this week, with a few families already signed up. The future of that program will be one of the first decisions for the new board to make as it works toward becoming a preschool again. With files from Daniel Reech
