Another Blow to Free Early Learning in Orléans
The Orléans community is facing a significant reduction in accessible childcare options with the impending closure of the Charlemagne EarlyON Child and Family Centre. This marks the second facility of its kind operated by the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) in the area to shut down since September, leaving many families concerned about the future of free early-learning programs in Ottawa's east end.
The Heart of the Closure
The Charlemagne centre, which operates from St. Peter Catholic High School, will officially close its doors on November 30. This free drop-in playgroup offers vital learning and development programs for children up to six years old. The OCSB stated the decision was necessary as the space is required for classrooms to accommodate growing enrolment at the high school.
For parent Dominique Patnaik, who has attended the playgroup for three years with her two daughters, the news was deeply disappointing. "Everybody felt it because it is such a big part of our weekly lives, and it’s provided us with so much … that we all feel like there’s going to be a hole in our lives when the centre closes," Patnaik shared.
Growing Gap and Community Response
The consequences of these consecutive closures are stark. Before the shutdowns, Orléans centres collectively offered up to 57 hours of weekly playgroup sessions. With the closure of the Charlemagne centre and the earlier shutdown of the program at Divine Infant Elementary School in September, parents estimate the available hours will plummet to just 15 per week.
This dramatic reduction is expected to place immense pressure on the remaining facilities. Claudine Larouche, a parent helping organize efforts to save the Charlemagne playgroup, expressed her concern: "We’re very concerned that there will be no alternative for a lot of parents and young children to go to different playgroups." The community is not giving up without a fight; more than 1,100 people have signed a petition urging the City of Ottawa and the Catholic school board to find a way to preserve the playgroup, ideally in a suitable space nearby.
While the OCSB acknowledged the value of the program in a statement, saying, "Families have shared how meaningful this program has been for their children and for their sense of community, and we recognize the worry this has created," the closure proceeds. The remaining EarlyON centre on Centrum Boulevard is already experiencing high demand, with parents often lining up outside before programs begin, signaling a difficult adjustment ahead for the community.
