Summerside nuns receive green light for daycare

The Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of Ragusaare finally ready to open a daycare in Summerside, P.E.I.

The nuns officially moved into their convent on GranvilleStreet in April,after encountering hurdles in opening a convent and daycare.

And now, the nuns officially have their daycare licence, which they received from the province in November.

Licence granted

The daycare licence will allow for up to seven children between the hours of 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

It alsostipulates that children must be at least three-years-old and must be toilet trained.

"Our future is the children and if they have a great foundation they will become great leaders in the future. It's as simple as that," said Sister Marian Limen, who will be heading the daycare.

In 2016, city council rejected the sisters' original rezoning application for another property.

Council was accepting the recommendation of its technical services department, which said the application to rezone a property at 291 South Drive should be denied.

Some neighbours even spoken out against the idea, raising concerns about increased traffic from the child-care facility.

Donated land

In 2017, afterthe rezoning application was denied, Tim Banks, CEO of APM Construction came forward and donated land at Granville Street for the group of nuns to use.

The sisters originally came to P.E.I. from Welland, Ont. at the invitation of Bishop Richard Grecco, who was looking for nuns to move to the Island after the departure of another order several years ago.

Sister Limen has been supervising daycare since 1999, she said.

"The Bishop saw what we did and asked if we could open a daycare in Summerside because he thinks it's very important to keep in touch with young families."

The nuns have future hopes to expand both the convent and daycare but nothing has been determined yet.

It took about 40 years for the nuns to save up funds to establish their convent and daycare, said Sister Limen.

She said they will be looking to begin saving again for future expansion.

The nuns are hoping to begin operations in January 2019.

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