By Cecilia Nasmith

The ribbon was cut Friday morning at the Grafton Community Centre as an official opening for the new child-care and early-learning facility housed in the west side of the building.

Elected officials and early-learning community partners were joined by local families to welcome facilities that include not only the first EarlyON Child and Family Centre in Alnwick-Haldimand Township but the first “family age-grouping” child-care centre in Northumberland County – a place where siblings of all ages can be cared for in the same space.

This is the second big renovation at the former two-room schoolhouse. The first big community-based effort (with significant assistance from the Rotary Club of Cobourg) turned it into the Grafton Community Centre and home to the Grafton Public Library (in the eastern half of the building).

The more recent renovations to accommodate these new programs began in July, supported by a capital investment of more than $500,000 from the Ontario Ministry of Education, plus early-learning and child-care funding from the federal government. This investment made possible the creation of 15 new child-care spaces for the community, along with a space for EarlyON programming, where families with children up to six years of age can enjoy free drop-in programs delivered in partnership with YMCA Northumberland, including play-based activities such as reading, storytelling, sing-alongs and games.

The Grafton EarlyON Centre will offer a stimulating and nurturing environment for kids and families to learn and play, as well as access to advice from trained early childhood development professionals and information about local services.

Acting Mayor Gail Latchford welcomed the expanded availability of child-care spaces and early-learning programming, and invited local families to visit the EarlyON Centre and enjoy the programming.