Niagara Region and Niagara Falls Public Library are announcing that the Library will become the new service provider for EarlyON Child and Family Centres in Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake.
These new centres will open in existing Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake library locations. The EarlyON centres will open their doors by September. While September has been announced as the projected opening month, specific opening dates and operating hours are still up in the air.
EarlyON Child and Family Centres offer free drop-in programs for children from newborns until the age of six, along with parents and caregivers. The centres are meant to provide inclusive and engaging spaces where children can learn, play, and make new connections in a community setting.
Satinder Klair, the Director of Children’s Services for Niagara Region, issued a statement to go along with the announcement.
“We are thrilled to welcome the Niagara Falls Public Library as the newest EarlyON Child and Family Centre service provider in Niagara,” said Klair. “The Library’s longstanding reputation in the community, coupled with its experience delivering high-quality programs for children and families, will be a tremendous asset and will increase access to EarlyON services in Niagara-on-the-Lake and Niagara Falls.”
There will be five locations, including four in Niagara Falls and one in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Niagara Falls Locations:
- Victoria Avenue Library, 4848 Victoria Avenue
- Stamford Centre Library, 2-3643 Portage Road
- Community Centre Library, MacBain Centre, 7159 Montrose Road
- Chippawa Library, 3848 Main Street
Niagara-on the-Lake Location:
- Niagara-on-the-Lake Library, 10 Anderson Lane.
“This is an exciting next step for Niagara Falls Public Library,” said Anne Andres-Jones, Niagara Falls Public Library’s Board Chair. “We’re always looking for new ways to innovate and enrich our programming.
“Becoming an EarlyON provider allows us to further connect with children and families in meaningful ways and build on the trusted relationships we’ve established in the community.”
EarlyON centres are funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education through Niagara Region Children’s Services.
Jay Goldberg is the Canadian Affairs Manager at the Consumer Choice Center. He previously served as the Ontario Director at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and a policy fellow at the Munk School of Public Policy and Global Affairs. Jay holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Toronto.
