Friday, lunch hour at the Comox Valley Child Development Association (CVCDA) courtyard was alive with happy sounds for the first time since our closure to the public back in March. We hosted a mini event to celebrate the next phase of our reopening plan. This phase has seen our courtyard converted to functional meeting space for on site, direct services. The space will now and throughout the warmer months to be utilized by a number of our CVCDA programs to resume our in person services.

Simba Investments have been a great supporter of this phase of our reopening. It is with their generous donation, we were loaned all six of the pop up tents and eight tables to use through out the space.

We felt it a great cause for celebration so we added some final touches to the space and invited a handful of staff and program particpants. Shawn Vincent and his team from Simba Investments joined in the celebration and brought a yummy fried chicken lunch for everyone to enjoy.

Our Project Inclusion particpants had the tables set up with many craft activities underway including rock painting to decorate the courtyard. Later Program Manager, Wendy Hawksworth got some socially distanced bingo going, which had been a favourite activity for the group throughout the COVID closure. Up until now, they had only been able to meet in public parks, weather permitting. The group is excited to be back at the CVCDA starting this week.

Although we were closed to the public all of this time, the majority of our programs continued to be operational with many of our services being provided remotely, where ever possible. Many more of our staff have been working either from home or independantly behind the scenes to keep everything ticking.

We are continually working through the next phases of our reopening plan. Renovations are currently underway in order to safely resume our in person services through out our buildings. It has been a process including a complete internal assessment of the association with considerations for all individuals, employees, workspaces and services. Our OH&S Committee then prepared the CVCDA COVID-19 Safety Plan. Our completed reopening plan incorporates many of the guidelines laid out by the Provincial Health Authority, WorkSafe BC, Health Sciences Association and our Occupational Health and Safety Committee. We look forward to advancing to the next phases of reopening once construction has been completed and getting back to a more ‘normal’ way of operating.

See you soon.