NEW EarlyON Programs at T.B. Costain/SC Johnson and Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre

BRANTFORD, ON – As part of the City’s 10-Year Children’s Services Plan, Building Our Community from the Kids Up, the City of Brantford is pleased to announce EarlyON programs have expanded to T.B. Costain/SC Johnson Community Centre and the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre. EarlyONs are free, drop-in play-based programs open to all children from birth to 6 years old and their parents or caregivers. Staffed by early learning professionals, the programs provide a place to learn, play, and connect with other families and with parenting resources.

“We are excited that EarlyONs are being offered alongside all of the other great family activities at local community centres” says Michelle Connor, Manager of Children’s Services at the City of Brantford. “By co-locating programs, it is easier than ever for families and their young children to connect, learn, and have fun as well as explore all the great programs offered within community centres.”

The new free EarlyON drop-in programs will be at T.B. Costain/SC Johnson Community Centre, 16 Morrell St, Brantford on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre, 254 N Park Rd Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m

Family Gatherings Indigenous-led programming will be offered on a rotational schedule at both locations providing a focus on Haudenosaunee culture including a variety of crafts, learning how to speak Mohawk and Cayuga and circle time with songs and games.

Offering EarlyONs at local community centres is part of the City’s 10 Year Child Care and Early Years Plan Building Our Community form the Kids Up. EarlyON programs are available at community centres in Mt. Pleasant and Scotland and the upcoming Cainsville community centre as well as numerous other sites and schools throughout the City of Brantford and the County of Brant. Visit the EarlyON calendar at Brantford.ca/EarlyON for programs and locations.

EarlyON centres offer free, high-quality programs for families and children from birth to 6 years old to learn and explore through art, music, physical movement and sensory play to build imagination, language, social relationships, growth and development. The free play-based programming includes messy art, science experiments, storytelling and music while connecting with other families. EarlyON centres are staffed by professionals trained in early childhood development who can answer questions and make connections to other programs and supports.

Photo Caption: Danielle Rita-Proctor, Child Development Worker from EarlyON (left), and Suzan Barhm, Activity Programmer for the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre (right) are pictured at the new EarlyON Centre located in the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre.

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Media Contact:

Kelly Page | Communications Specialist, Communications and Community Engagement
City of Brantford | 519-759-4150 ext. 5779 | kpage@brantford.ca