Kids, staff sweltering during heat wave as Winnipeg daycare running without AC

When Taeyoul Kim picked hisdaughter up from CairnsChildren'sCentre earlier this week, the eight-year-oldlooked exhausted.

Staff at the daycare told him she was left in tears by the heatinside the building,which iswithout air conditioning amidst ablistering heat wave.

Kim's daughter, who has attended the daycare for three years now, has autism spectrum disorder. Her ability to verbally communicate islimited, so she couldn't tell staff at the centre how much she was struggling with the intenseheat and muggy conditions inside the building, Kim said.

"The air circulating inside was only getting hotter and hotter," Kim said, and he's worried about the safety of the kids inside.

"This is a very critical and serious situation."

The HVAC system at Bonnycastle School, where the daycare leases space, had been running its "last leg" for the pastseveral years, said executive director Tannis Hewitt. Itstopped working entirely early this year.

That's a problem with much of the province, including Winnipeg, underheat warnings this week, with temperatures in the city hitting the 30s, but humidity making it feelas warm as 40 on Thursday and Friday, Environment Canada said.

A thermometer in one of the gym areas used by the daycare showed a reading of 29 C on Friday, but with the humidity and lack of windows, some children said it felt as warm inside as it did outside, where the temperature reached 32 C in the afternoon, feeling close to 40with the humidex.

The Pembina Trails School Division said it'sinstalled a portable air conditioner in the daycare to helpbring the temperature down at the school, along with fans in the areas the daycare uses.

But Hewitt said there has been littlerelief inside the building since temperatures soaredthis week.

"It's a lot of little hot bodies running around in a very hot space," Hewitt said. "By the end of the day, my face has gone from pinkto redto almost purple."

'Doing our best'

In the past, thedaycare operated without AC in the gym areas, but could usethe air-conditioned theatre space to take heat breaks. But with theAC systemdown for the entire school, that's no longer an option.

"It's just challenging to work with absolutely no break in the heat," said Hewitt.

It's a challenge for the kids at the daycare, too.

"[I am] tired, not wanting to do as much, because I am just overwhelmed by [the] heat," said 10-year-old Jack Leach.

Staff have moved someactivities outside, to aforest space at the back of the buildingwhere kidscan stay in the shade.

The daycare is also taking kids on field trips to places with air conditioning, at the centre's expense, said Hewitt.

Staff are also "using the only cold resource that we have in the building the cold tap water," she said. That means "doing a lot of sling sprinkler time" and using cold compresses, Hewitt said.

"We're doing our best."

Despite those efforts, Hewitt is concerned thatthe temperature inside the building couldtake a toll on the children's health.

"I am very concerned about heat stroke," she said. "I'mworried that we're going to get calls that children are headed to doctors and hospitals at the end of the day."

HVAC replacement a priority: province

A replacement of the HVAC system at the Bonnycastle School was approved by theprevious Progressive Conservative government, Hewitt said.

But the funding slated for it was deferredby the current NDP governmentjust before the search for a contractorwho could installthe new system began, she said.

In a statement to CBC News, a spokesperson to the premier's office said the project to replace the HVAC system "was approved, not cancelled," and remains a priority in the upcoming fiscal year.

The statement also said a plan was put in placewith Pembina Trails School Division after a site visit, including adding the portable air conditioner and fans.

But Hewitt said she hopes the province will"step up," and honour itsagreement to fix the HVACsystem.

"It just doesn't feel respectful to the families or the children and it is dangerous."

Winnipeg daycare without AC leaves kids, staff sweltering during heat wave

3 months ago

Duration 2:02

Concerns are swirling as temperatures soar inside a Winnipeg daycare that's operating without air conditioning this summer, after a heat wave hit the province this week.