Vote early and vote often, or vote at least once a day if you want to see a new era for children support services in Cranbrook.

That’s the message Community Connections Society Executive Director Gwen Noble brought to the Cranbrook and District Chamber of Commerce meeting Wednesday as she exhorted Chamber members to participate in the third round of the Aviva Community Fund Competition.

If Community Connections gathers enough votes, they could win up to $250,000 in the competition, which would go a long way towards helping them to reach their goal of $850,000 to renovate the building they hope will become the home of the brand new Kootenay Child Health and Development Centre.

The centre, which would unite child support services under one roof for the first time in the history of the city, has been talked about for years and is long overdue, says Noble.

“Somehow the timing has never been right but now that Interior Health has recruited two paediatricians the timing couldn’t be better.” The two paediatricians are on board with the development centre and see it as a “hub” for child support services in the entire region, she says.

The building is located across from Giant Tiger in the parking lot of the Baker Street Mall and is already owned by Community Connections. Shannon Fabrics used to be in the building, but they have relocated and money is needed now to renovate the entire building for the new Children’s Centre, Noble says.

Some $100,000 has already been raised or committed to renovating the building but this still leaves the society more than $700,000 short and this is where the Aviva contest comes in, says Noble.

The coast-to-coast competition is now in the third phase and there are approximately 20 projects still in play including the Kootenay Child Health and Development Centre.

What the centre needs now is for as many people as possible in the region to vote for the centre and to add comments on the web site as to why they think such a centre is needed in the East Kootenay.

“What we need is thousands of votes and some real community buzz,” says Noble. “So we’re putting this out as a challenge to the community and there’s only nine days to vote.”

If you want to vote to do something for the children in Cranbrook, Kimberley and the rest of the East Kootenay all you need to do is Google Aviva Community Fund and follow the links or in your address bar punch in: www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf3051 and that will take you directly to where you can register to vote for the Kootenay Child Health and Development Centre.

“Put it in your favourites and vote everyday,” says Noble, adding that when the centre opens its doors next year children and their parents throughout the region will be eternally grateful.

The centre will house a variety of special children services including a Telehealth Conference Centre, Infant Development Services, Early Intervention Therapies, a preschool, Children First, Child Care Resource and Referral, two paediatricians and other services.

“Children are our most important resource,” says Noble. “What we want from the community is donations in money or kind to support them.” Or they can vote in the Avia competition, she said.

Leaving positive comments on the Avia website will also help to win, she said.

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