Ioco School Childcare Survey - July 2023
On Thursday July 6, 2023, an information session was held at École Moody Middle School of the Arts regarding the possibility of re-opening the Ioco School as a childcare facility. In addition to the information session, a survey was opened to anyone wishing to participate. The results of the survey have been summarized below.
Seventy-five responses were collected on the survey and included primarily residents of Port Moody and Coquitlam with a few more representing Anmore, Belcarra, and Port Coquitlam. Most respondents were parents/guardians of young children, with some interested residents, and a number of potential childcare providers.
Most respondents have childcare needs that will be changing soon (full time to before/after, for example) while some do not currently need childcare but will in the near future. Full-day and before and after school were the most needed services with drop-in and pre-school being the next most selected.
Most families were in need of year-round, Monday to Friday services to cover a 'work day' for parents. Most parents indicated their childcare need was to allow participation in the workforce.
The most requested considerations for the operation of a childcare space were:
- Access to outdoor spaces, nature education, and physical, active play opportunities,
- Trained staff to provide educational, developmental, and stimulating activities,
- A general increase childcare options for families.
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The Ioco School
- Designed by architect Henry Whittaker, construction of Ioco School began in 1921 and recently experienced its 100-year anniversary.
- The total building area is approximately 12 000 square feet. It is considered a one storey wood-frame building with full basement. There is also a semi-detached gymnasium built in the late 1950s.
- Closed as a school in 2005, the building has remained vacant ever since.
- The historic school is heritage protected. Should it be converted to a childcare centre, the building will receive modern upgrades and renovations within the heritage guidelines.
- With support from the community, the school district will apply to the Provincial Government for a New Spaces Grant to convert the building into a modern childcare facility.
- Through a competitive process, the school district is interested in bringing on a childcare provider to help with the design of the interior as well as the outdoor play spaces. Once construction is complete they will operate the facility under a lease agreement with the school district.
