In reference to recent announcement of the closing of Rolling Hills Children's Centre, I feel compelled to express profound disappointment that the existence of such a dynamic and safe place for children could be in jeopardy. I am also encouraged by the support and rallying of the parents to keep the Centre operating in order to explore alternatives to closure.

When my family moved to the Orangeville area five years ago, we required summer camp for our daughter. This is her sixth summer there and it has been like going home every summer. The care has been fabulous and despite my daughter's turning 12 this summer, she was very eager to return for her last summer. The staff are like family, the atmosphere is positive and caring, unparalleled in our 12 years of searching for daycares and daycamps. At one point we attempted to switch schools in order for our daughter to attend the afterschool program offered at Rolling Hills, but were not successful due to excessive enrolment.

Rolling Hills Children's Centre should not be allowed to close. This is a gem of Orangeville and is a model for well-run children's education centres everywhere, where the needs of all children are met. Perhaps there is still time for the powers-that-be to recognize what Rolling Hills has meant to so many families in Orangeville and its surrounding areas and give this chance to many others.
Ann Baka
via e-mail

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By the time you read this, the fate of my child and that of his peers may likely be determined. I was very reluctant as many people in my position are to come forward because unfortunately it's just the way it is that along with my child being judged so too are us parents sometimes by the very people we call our friends and neighbours.

I once brought a very frightened little 3 year old into this wonderful magical place called Rolling Hills Children's Place where he thrived and developed, now after 5 years how do I tell him that they are shutting the doors.

My child was identified as needing extra support while in Teddy Bear Playschool and during the brief time we had him out of care, I had my hands full with my beautiful boy who had no concept of boundaries including a phone call from my neighbour in the rear telling me my little guy made himself at home in his family room while he was playing in the backyard with his friend, it took him 5 seconds to let himself in thru an unlocked patio door and he matter of factly told the startled neighbour whom was enjoying some alone time with his wife that he needed him to put his teletoon channel on cause he did not know how to work his remote, or even a month ago when the neighbour next door shouted over to me that he was planting corn in her backyard while playing with her children, to this day I have no idea why or how his brain works but I know it is a magical place and a very imaginative one.

I briefly took him out of care at the age of 7 thinking we could handle him now that he was older with the assistance of teenage siblings but all that did was end up with a visit from DCAFS with an anonymous complaint that he was outside in the dark, while I explained that I could not help that it was dead of winter and he was permitted to be outside till dinner as long as he was properly dressed and that I was truly sorry that by 4:30 it was dark, (My husband arrives home from work by this time), and that perhaps people should be more concerned for children whom don't come outside to play rather then the healthy ones that do. I could not lock this child away for the winter months even if I tried and tried we did including child safety latches and bars on all the doors and windows, he took a ladder to the basement window and made his 1000th escape, while DCAFS was wonderful with us I won't lie to this day I am miffed with whomever the riotous caller was that did not have the decency to come knocking.

I am trying to remain hopeful but saddened and feel that we parents have done everything we could with what little time frame we were given to try and bring forward options to help save our children's childcare facility. It is truly a shame that in our family's quest for updates we frequently check in on the page dedicated to our children's facility on the Community Living Dufferin website and while I see a Building Dreams Together Donation Link showing they have managed to raise over 500,000.00 towards the building efforts of the gorgeous new facility, they claim they are forced to close a childcare facility for some of the most vulnerable children in this county because of a deficit of 70,000.00 (which would mean seven more full time spaces being filled) all to the surprise of us parents whom had we been alerted could have discussed cost saving measures, fee increases, fund raising options, a push to fill seven more spots by word of mouth or advertising efforts but no there was no warnings just a letter telling us that effective Sept 18th our childcare facility would be closed.

It is truly amazing what we have managed to accomplish in the last couple weeks, now imagine for one second we had months to prepare for this or even offset it? Many of these children will not transition well, and worse yet have not even been given any time to transition. CLD says their mandate is for adults with disabilities but adults were once children were they not? That they do not want to be in the business of childcare.

They obviously need to revamp their website since the home page starts out with "All people should have the opportunity to enjoy all aspects of community living, every day and in every way. Community Living Dufferin helps make this a reality for children and adults with developmental disabilities."

So please tell me how shutting down one of the only facilities in the county that specifically offers support and structure to these little ones dealing with added challenges supports the community? What about the children, families, staff, schools, employers whom will all be affected. Where's your offers of assistance in helping these kids, nobody has called, written, or emailed this household except for fellow members of the Rolling Hills Parent Committee many of us whom have joined and paid to be members of CLD just so our voices can be heard, please everybody don't let this valuable resource for our little ones be shut down without a fight.

If were truly going to call ourselves a community then we need to start remembering that these children count too!
Jeanne Harper
(Caeden's Mom)
Orangeville