It's no secret that while the Thompson Regional Community Centre undergoes its third and final phase of construction, rec centre staff will be relocated to another area as their existing offices, along with the Mary Fenske boardroom and multipurpose room, will be demolished.
What's not so well known is that other groups, which rely on these facilities, are also left searching to find space. One such group is Thompson's Parents and Tots, a twice-a-week playgroup for children up to five years old.
"We were originally told we'd need to be out by the end of April, so now we're scrambling to find another location," says Bobby Greenwood, president of the group. "We really don't want to have to close our doors." The rec centre multipurpose room, which has been home to Thompson's Parents and Tots since 2000, will be unavailable for the group - and everyone else - by mid-February.
"We are excited about our new community centre, but we're sort of homeless until the renovations are complete," adds Greenwood. "We don't have the funds to rent a large space on a full-time basis, so we're hoping that the community can assist us. We're starting to approach different community organizations and businesses to see if they can provide us with space or make a donation to help us pay rent."
The group charges $2 per family per visit, from which they are usually just able to cover the multipurpose room's rental rate of $14 per hour. Rec centre staff also allowed the group to store their toys in the building - toys that will now be sitting in garages as the group looks for a new home. Approximately 15 kids visit Thompson's Parents and Tots each session, though that number is up in the neighbourhood of 30 for special events such as Christmas parties.
Thompson's Parents and Tots first began in 1985, and currently meets on Wednesday and Friday mornings. Children - who have to be accompanied by parents or caregivers - have many play options, including toy cars, puzzles, a play kitchen, a climbing structure, and even a bouncy house.
"We're a flexible bunch and we're willing to adapt to whatever space is available to us," says Greenwood. Thompson Parents and Tots are looking for a large, open space - big enough for that many kids to run around and have fun in - with some capacity for toy storage - and ask for anyone interested to call Greenwood at 778-6237.
