Dartmouth daycare closed for up to 2 months after break-in, parents left scrambling

A daycare in Dartmouth, N.S., has been forced to close for six to eight weeks for repairs after it was broken into and vandalized last week, leaving nearly 100 families scrambling to find child care. 

At around 4 a.m. on Oct. 16, Halifax Regional Police responded to a report of a break and enter at The Growing Place on Woodlawn Road.

Caitlin Regan, whose daughter attends The Growing Place, said she and other parents were alerted to the break-in by daycare administrators early that morning. She said later that day, they were told the intruder or intruders had broken into the building overnight, plugged the drains, and turned on the taps to flood the facility. 

"I can't fathom who would do this to a daycare," said Regan. "I can only assume that they must not have recognized how many people would be affected … the kids, and their parents, and their families, and the workers, and the school." 

Police spokesperson Const. Martin Cromwell would not provide details to CBC News, citing the ongoing investigation. 

The Growing Place is licensed for 98 children whose families must now find alternative child care. The centre cares for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. 

Centre hopes for fast repairs, says owner

Harry Griffin owns the centre, but declined an interview. He told CBC News in an email that his current focus is supporting staff and reopening the centre as soon as possible. 

"We understand how difficult this period will be for all the affected families who are now without child care, and we will do whatever we can to minimize this disruption," Griffin wrote. 

Regan's almost one-year-old daughter, Kelly, just started daycare at The Growing Place in early October. Regan said she'd been on waitlists for child care since she was pregnant. 

She said the spot for her daughter opened up at the perfect time, right before Regan's maternity leave was set to end and she'd be going back to work. 

If the flood damage is not fixed before the estimated restoration time of six to eight weeks, Regan may have to extend her maternity leave, or try to find a temporary child-care provider for Kelly.

"In an overburdened [child-care] system, to expect it to absorb 90 families, I think is probably not going to happen," said Regan. 

She said she's hopeful that the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development will secure a short-term space where staff can offer care while repairs are underway. 

In an email to CBC News, Krista Higdon, a spokesperson for the department, said they are working with Griffin and daycare staff to explore temporary options. 

"We understand how upsetting this is for the provider, their staff, and impacted children and families," she wrote. 

Kirstin Murphy's two young sons go to the daycare. She and her partner both work full time, so their sons have been in Pictou, N.S., staying with their grandmother all week. 

Murphy said she knows how fortunate she is to have supportive family members, but it's not a sustainable solution for the next two months.

"It's a number of families that are relying on The Growing Place and see it as a second home," said Murphy.

"It felt like perhaps our own personal spaces had been broken into and vandalized as well."