Parents rush to find child care after Cole Harbour program announces it's closing

Parents of children who are enrolled in a before- and after-school program in Cole Harbour have been scrambling to find new spaces for their kidsafter getting an emergency notice saying theprogram is closing.

The program, calledConnexions, sent out emails last week to parents informing them they will close their doors on Dec. 22.

Susie Collet, whoseseven-year-old sonreceivesafter-school care throughConnexions,received the email last Thursday evening.

"I was kind of like, in sheer panic, like, 'Oh my God, what are we going to do? They're closing in less than a month.'"

The after-school programis critical for her and her husband, who both work until 5 p.m. It serveschildren from schools in Cole Harbour and Dartmouth, wherechild-care spaces are hardto find.

"I cried when we first found out, because I had no idea what we were going to do."

Colletsaid the email pointed to financial difficulties as the major reason the program cannot continue.

'Frantic and panicking'

Christine Fiandersaid she and her husband were also onedge after getting the same email.Their seven-year-old son has been goingto the after-school program too.

"We were just frantic and panicking," she said.

Neither Collet nor Fiander had any inclination that Connexions wasexperiencing problems.

"We didn't really get the back story as to unpaid rent or anything of that nature. It was simply that there were issues," Fiander said, adding that she was happy with the care her son has beenreceiving.

Nearly $256K in arrears

The program has been operating out of a Party on People venue, which offers laser tag,on Portland Street and Bel Ayr Avenue.

On the front door is a bailiff's notice saying that $255,973 is owed in rent.

The building's landlordsays thetenant has had trouble paying rent for several months, and after working with them to figure out solutions they told them onNov. 6 that further action would be taken.

"Clearly they've given them lots of leeway to allow the rent owing to get as high as it has," saidJoseph Tracey, a lawyerfor thelandlord. "They've taken all reasonable steps that they could before they had to involve lawyers and enforce the terms of the lease."

Tracey said the property was locked up afterConnexionswas allowed to take out their belongings.

The programis now operating out of a nearby church until it closes next month.

Meanwhile,Colletis feeling some relief after findingher son a spotatanother child-care centre.

Fianderhas also been fortunate to find another space for her son.

But they're both facing additional child-care costs, and areconcerned aboutother parents who they know are still trying to find alternative arrangements.

The non-profit group that runs the program, Community Connexions Network Nova Scotia, did not respond to interview requests.

The letter it sent to families said the arrears include rent it could not pay during the COVID-19 pandemic, and also cited infrastructure issues such as a lack of proper heating equipment and ongoing staffing challenges.

Parents rush to find child care after Cole Harbour program announces it's closing

11 months ago

Duration 2:12

Parents of children in a before- and after-school program in Cole Harbour have been scrambling to find new spaces for their kids after receiving an emergency notice saying the program is closing. Gareth Hampshire reports.