The town and district of Central Butte have had what some seniors describe as a “baby explosion” in the last few years.
The increase in population has created the need to develop a child care centre and the community needs $450,000 to open it in the former SaskPower building on Main Street.
“Central Butte is in need of a child care centre,” said Janelle Aitken, one of the organizers. “When we sent out our survey in February we found out there were 51 children that needed child care. Our centre will accommodate 33 spaces.”
The need for the centre stems from “a large influx of children. The school is growing; the community’s growing; people are moving back to farm.”
School enrolment has jumped to 153 from 83 in a few years.
“There was 22 new kids this year and will be about as many next year.”
Right now the community relies on day homes and family to look after pre-schoolers.
“I think there’s only one day home open right now,” Aitken said.
The child care building, last used as a liquor store, needs renovations.
Target date for the day care opening is August 2022.
Central Butte Child Care Inc. continued the fundraising campaign with a trade and craft show in the school on Nov. 7.
The gym was full of vendor tables ranging from crafts, knitting, household goods to jewelry, wood work, Christmas ornaments and baking.
Ken Botham of Lucky Lake was selling smoked trout and smoked sausage sticks
He moved back to his home town of Lucky Lake 15 years ago to get out of Calgary and into a smaller community.
“I bought a smoker and started playing around; it got pretty good.”
He has been selling smoked fish for 13 years as a sideline after work at the Lake Diefenbaker fish farm.
One thing led to another and he started smoking and selling pork with beef sausages sticks
He was going to quit selling honey garlic sticks. “I don't like honey garlic but my wife said: ‘Who is buying it?’
“I listened to her…I listen to her mostly.”
Ron Walter can be reached at [email protected]
