Terrace- Child Development Centre

Terrace Child Development Centre History

Disclaimer
This is a history page of the Centre.
I am not connected with the Centre or Society today.

Back around 1987, I was one of the members of the Volunteer Directors of the Society, and I did building maintenance work for a couple years there.
When I was on the Board, one of the Board Members, read about a fund raising idea,
And so the Tree of Lights in the Skeena Mall was started.
I went out with my children and cut a live Christmas tree for the First Year's Event, which was quickly changed the next year, to an artificial tree,
so we could leave it up longer in the mall.
Tree of Lights is still a fund raising event for them.

Centre is operated by a Non Profit Society and Volunteer Board of Directors

Established in 1974, at 4529 Olson Ave by the Terrace Cerebral Palsy Association.

New Building under Construction, April 1977, Located at 2510 South Eby, Terrace BC, Near Cassie Hall School

It was built by H & H Construction.
Karl Motz Masonry Ltd. did the concrete block work.
Manuel DaSilva was Chairman of the building committee.
Land was leased from School Board 88 by the Terrace Cerebral Palsy Association.
This group started the collection of funds for the Centre to be built.
I don't think there is a Service Club, Business, or Individual in Terrace, that hasn't given money to the Centre.
Variety Club I know has donated more than one bus to the centre.
Kinsmen club donated the first 12 seat bus in 1975

Cost of the Centre was $124,000
BC Government donated $80,000
Rest of the money was donated or fund raised.
The problem after the building was built, was raising the money to operate the Centre.
In 1977, $2500 was required.
as time went on, costs went up, and it was harder to get the funding.
Government Grants only covered a small amount.
It was the job of the Executive to raise these funds.
This is where the Tree of Lights and other events came about.

Grand Opening Ceremony Sept 24, 1977 at 2 PM

In 1980, money was raised for a new Hydrotherapy Pool addition.
This Pool became one of my main jobs to maintain.
I even painted the inside of the pool at one point, and my knees are still sore from that job.

Dr. Geoff Appleton was one of the people involved in the creation of the Centre.
He was the Medical Director, Advisor, and Member of the Board.

Nancy Clay was the Director in 1977

Administration Staff
Margot Hayes was hired as Executive Program Director, late 1980's,
and I believe she served in that position for many years.
Monique Malenfant- Office Assistant
Sharon Rinaldi- Bus Driver
Ed Gregory- Janitorial Services

Service Staff
Margaret (Warcup) Dediluke was the Physiotherapist.
Margaret was a very dedicated member of the team there.
She was Program Director in 1987

Elizabeth Haws was the Occupational Therapist who specialized in fine motor development

Susan Lang Phillips and Sheila Pretto, were the Speech Therapists

Gayle Connacher was the Family Support Worker

Pre School Staff
Peter Braganza, Supervisor
4 teachers:
Jennifer Neil, Annie Franzmann, Karen Skog, and Julie Jacobs

Building Healthier Babies
Cherralee Roberts worked out of the Centre
This was a brand new program at this time,
and I remember we had trouble getting funding for it.
Today (2014) they operate this program
from their own building near the Medical Clinic Offices, called “Family Place”, on Park Ave.

In 1989 they had more than 170 children attending, All receiving various treatments.

Approx 80% of the operating budget came from the BC Government, Rest of the money was raised locally

It is a Multi Purpose Centre
Speech Therapy
Physiotherapy
Pre-School
and more

I encourage Donations to be made to this Great Charity.

Ext Links
Note- Not my sites

Official Web Pages of the Centre
http://www.terracechilddevelopmentcentre.com/

http://terracechilddevelopmentcentre.ca/wp/hello-world/

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