La Broquerie’s daycare expansion is now underway.

Director of La Garderie Des P’tits Brisous Andree Remillard believes the 1.6 million dollar project’s foundation has already been laid.

The importance of the add-on is explained by Remillard as allowing “families to continue the Francophone aspect of their lives”.

“There is one in Ste Anne, and there’s a Francophone daycare in St Pierre,” shares Remillard listing the only three in southeastern Manitoba, “so we serve Vita, Woodridge, Piney and all those areas where there’s a dead zone because there are no other French schools.”

Remillard says the daycare’s waiting list already has 120 names on it and has been that way for three years.

“At the moment we have 8 infants, 39 preschoolers, 41 school age, and 10 nursery,” says Remillard, “and we will be adding an extra 8 infants and 16 preschoolers.” The added spaces bring the daycare’s capacity up to 122 from 98.

Remillard expresses her gratitude to both provincial and federal governments for providing all of the funds except for $50,000 and says the Division Scolaire Franco-Manitobaine has been very supportive

Asked when the expansion could be completed she says it might be a “Christmas present” for the community, “but it will probably be at the end of January.”