Two children’s projects in Gibsons have been fully funded through the online crowdfunding site Wayblaze. Both projects will get underway in the next few months.
The Huckleberry Coast Childcare fundraiser to erect an art/play garden at the Arts Building in Gibsons where the childcare centre is housed reached its goal of $5,475, and the Gibsons Public Library exceeded its goal of $15,000 to create an updated children’s space at the library.
While the online Wayblaze fundraiser is now closed, cash donations keep coming in at the library.
Any extra library funding will be used to purchase more digital tools for children, like iPads loaded with educational games and read aloud books, library director Tracey Therrien said.
She was surprised at the generosity of the community that raised over $15,000 in three months. Originally the library expected it would have to split its project into two parts to make the fundraising goals more palatable to the public.
“It seems that once the Library Foundation announced that they’d be matching funds up to $5,000, then it just really took off,” Therrien said.
The children’s area at the Gibsons Public Library will be updated in March, after some preliminary plans are finalized.
“We’ll be focusing on paint and new shelving, to make it more mobile so we can adapt the space more easily,” Therrien said, adding there would also be some new signage, furniture and interactive games made for the space.
The Huckleberry Coast Childcare fundraiser was also open for three months; however, it took a while to get the community buy-in it needed to succeed.
Organizer Bronwen Payerle said the fundraiser “felt a bit like the Little Engine the Could.”
“I was surprised and grateful that so many local businesses and individuals stepped up to help a small daycare centre’s fundraising party, especially right before the holidays,” Payerle said.
“All of us at Huckleberry Childcare are immensely pleased to have the support of the community to help build our vision for the art and play garden.”
Payerle said she’s hoping to get to work on the art/play garden by the spring, after all the proper approvals are in place.
“There will be a few ‘public plant-ins’ before summer watering restrictions, with the aim of the garden being fenced and complete for September’s new school year,” she said. “Part of the vision is for community members to participate in planting and creating outdoor sculptures through Arts Building workshops. [We] intend to generate community pride and ownership of a green public corner.”
