From the community up
Why This Matters
The need for child care in the South Whiteshell is urgent and growing, the closest centre is 90 km, which makes our community a “childcare desert”. A community survey identified two key issues that are directly linked to the absence of a Child Care Centre; Firstly, there are approximately 40 children requiring child care. Secondly, families are struggling to join the workforce without access to reliable child care. We believe that bringing a formal child care program to our community would allow more local residents to seek employment as well as attract new residents to the South Whiteshell. The children in our community would benefit greatly from the ECE (Early Childhood Educator) trained staff in their early years of development and learning. We think providing a safe and positive learning environment would help our children in their most formative years and prepare them to enter the nursery/ kindergarten program at Falcon Beach School.
Who we are
We are a group of community members that are passionate about bringing a provincially licensed child care centre to the South Whiteshell area. This is a critical step toward building a resilient local economy and enhancing the quality of life for families.
Our committee has earned the support of various local organizations and politicians, including the Falcon West Hawk Chamber of Commerce, West Hawk United Church, Whiteshell Community Club, Falcon Beach School, Frontier School Division, Nikanihk Ohci Foundation, MLAs Wayne Ewasko (Lac Du Bonnet) and Robert Louiselle (St.Boniface). We have established relationships with Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) and Manitoba Parks. We have also partnered with the Non-profit organization, Cooperatives First. Cooperatives First has helped us get incorporated as a non-profit cooperative and they are helping us navigate the process of getting the daycare established.
Who we serve
Our goal is to serve the “greater South Whiteshell” area: Falcon Lake, Barren Lake, West Hawk Lake, Caddy Lake, Star Lake, Ingolf, as well as the communities to the west; East Braintree, Prawda and Hadashville. These areas are all without formal childcare and are within 30 minutes of the West Hawk United Church and the Whiteshell Community Club/ Falcon Beach School.
Where
Currently we are focused on opening a 16 space preschool program, ages 2-6, located at the West Hawk United Church in West Hawk Lake. Although we feel the need for childcare in our community is much greater than this, we feel that this is the way to fill the most urgent needs of the community in the fastest time frame. Ultimately we will be pursuing future programs for before and after school care as well as infant care. We hope that once we are an established organization we can work toward a purpose built child care facility on the school grounds of Falcon Beach School.
When
While we understand that there are many hurdles to overcome, we feel that a realistic goal for opening a preschool program at the West Hawk United Church is January of 2027. Be on the lookout for pre-registration/ waitlist information coming soon.
What is a Co-operative?
Check out this link to the Co-Operatives First website for more information on co-operatives and how they work. We chose to incorporate as a non-profit co-operative because we feel it aligns with our communities values and gives representation to all members. The member based model also helps with operating expenses of the daycare through a modest membership fee. The partnership we have formed with Co-Operatives First has also proved invaluable and is currently a big driver of our momentum to start a daycare in the South Whiteshell.
The Whiteshell daycare co-op board of directors
Ryan Gemmel
Chair of the BoardRyan Gemmel is a local resident and parent in the South Whiteshell area. He is passionate about community building through grassroots organizing and volunteerism. Ryan currently serves on the Falcon Beach School committee as Chairperson and the Falcon Sports Club board of directors as Vice-Chair. Ryan is the operations manager at Falcon Trails Resort and Falcon Ridge Ski Slopes and he is always looking for an excuse to get outside for an activity with his family.
Mark Wiebe
Treasurer of the Board
Mark Wiebe is a father and Falcon Lake resident. He is the treasurer of the Whiteshell Childcare Co-op and the owner of Toban Specialties Inc; a local heavy construction company employing local workers and servicing the South Whiteshell. Mark is the vice president of the South Whiteshell Chamber of Commerce and loves working with our community members.
Marg Imrie is a proud mother and grandmother and a long term resident of Falcon Lake. Along with husband Murray, they owned and operated the Falcon Beach Ranch for 37 years. Marg is also a former educator and for the past 30 years has served as a school trustee in the Frontier School Division. Marg is passionate about establishing a Childcare Centre in the community to support young families and local business.
Barbara Hamilton is a lifetime resident of Falcon Lake, where she and her husband raised their three daughters. Barb is a grandmother now, but prior to this, she and her husband ran a construction business for 25 years, and in 1996 built Falcon Trails Resort, which today is operated by the whole family. Barb has been involved in many community volunteer efforts, and after running a business with no childcare options, is convinced that helping to end this childcare community deficit will be the most valuable contribution she could ever make to this community.
Board memberBarb Hamilton
Deborah Kuhl-Magnusson
Secretary of the BoardDeborah Kuhl-Magnusson has been connected to the South Whiteshell for the past 35 years, first as a cottage owner and for the past 13 years as a resident. She recently retired from a management position in Sales and Administration with Falcon Trails Resort. As a person who has been involved in staffing, it has been clear that the addition of a childcare center would add significant advantages for hiring and employment opportunities in the community. Deborah currently serves as Chair of the Kuhl Foundation Board.
Sharon taylor
Board Member
Sharon Taylor has been part of the Green Bay Resort community at Caddy Lake since 1997, first as a cottager and later helping operate the resort alongside her husband. Since retiring from the Winnipeg School Division in 2020, she has called the South Whiteshell home year-round.
An Early Childhood Educator III and former daycare administrator, she brings experience in leadership, human resources, and childcare management. She joined the board to contribute her professional expertise and support the community.
When she is not helping at the resort, she embraces the Whiteshell lifestyle by paddleboarding on Caddy Lake, exploring the area's natural beauty, and enjoying time outdoors with her spirited 4-pound Chihuahua. She values the balance of community, nature, and active living that makes the region such a special place to call home.
Marg Imrie
Vice-chair of the Board