Hidden along Quadra Street by a thick hedgerow, children have played daily in the backyard of Little Jack Horner Child Centre since the 1970s.
On Aug. 31, the Saanich institution, run by Sandra Burnham, will open its doors for the last time to preschool aged children three to five years old. In total, the owner operator has been educating and caring for SaanichB次元官网网址檚 children for 47 years, and at 77, Burnham is ready to join husband Ron, 82, in retirement. Though Ron ended his career in Saanich engineering 23 years ago, heB次元官网网址檚 been a loyal lieutenant to Burnham, as she worked full-time, and then some, guiding hundreds of children from toddler-hood to kindergarten.
B次元官网网址淥f course I will miss it, and I wonB次元官网网址檛,B次元官网网址� Burnham said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 ready for a break, itB次元官网网址檚 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Covering for days teachers canB次元官网网址檛 make it, keeping up with all the licensing [required].B次元官网网址�
BurnhamB次元官网网址檚 childcare licence is registered for up to 24 children but on the Monday of her final week, only four smiling children came to the school-like set up on the bottom floor of her house on Caen Road.
B次元官网网址淲e had two ECEs, and 16 children registered,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e gave notice to the families six months early.B次元官网网址�
Hundreds of children have come through, creating a last effect not only in SaanichB次元官网网址檚 North Quadra area but across the region.
B次元官网网址淲e have lots of people who recognize us, we had a Saanich firefighter who come through to inspect the place and say, B次元官网网址業 used to go here,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Burnham said. B次元官网网址淎nd we have parents of children here that came here when they were children.
B次元官网网址淵ou might see a work-truck and remember, B次元官网网址榦h yes, their kids came to our school,B次元官网网址� or you see a former studentB次元官网网址檚 name in the paper graduating from high school, and recognize them.B次元官网网址�
Over the years thereB次元官网网址檚 been a lot of change in the day care and preschool industry. Standards increased and more than anything, the expenses increased.
If they thought it would work, the couple would have considered selling the business and renting the space to someone else. Alas, itB次元官网网址檚 not a particularly lucrative business model, they said.
B次元官网网址淸As owners] we never paid rent, so IB次元官网网址檓 not sure it would work,B次元官网网址� she said.
Add to that the , the costs of new equipment, and other expenses, and Friday will be BurnhamB次元官网网址檚 last day.
B次元官网网址淛ust the water bill is $800, four toilets flushing throughout the day,B次元官网网址� Ron said.
Burnham initially came to the daycare as a mother when her son Charles, now 56, was four. Daughter Laura went there too.
B次元官网网址淸Charles] went to kindergarten at [Jack Horner], both my children did, thatB次元官网网址檚 how I came to it,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭hat was before I owned it.B次元官网网址�
In the 1970s kindergarten was absorbed into the public school system and the numbers actually dropped at Jack Horner.
B次元官网网址淲e added three year olds to bring the numbers up, doing care for three and four year olds,B次元官网网址� Burnham said.
She had already worked there seven years when she took it over, house and all, in 1979.
Ron will miss the daycare too. He assisted with taxes and handled the physical maintenance, and built several play features in the yard, such as a giant wooden play feature shaped like a train and a lookout fort.
B次元官网网址淚t always involved me one way or another,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hings are always breaking down and need fixing, the equipment outside or in here.B次元官网网址�
The apparatus Ron built are still permitted but he can no longer build play features, only repair the existing features.
You just donB次元官网网址檛 make the money to afford the all [modern day] equipment that Ron made, the slide, and other features, Burnham said.
B次元官网网址淚t has to be licensed and the costs for climbing apparatus are [in the tens of thousands],B次元官网网址� Ron said.
B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 know what weB次元官网网址檙e going to do with the space, have three grandchildren in their 20s, that could live down there, or my daughterB次元官网网址檚 family, everyone loves Victoria,B次元官网网址� Burnham said.
