Bunny trail, egg hunt ‘a phenomenal day’

Organizers of Saturday’s Bunny Trail and Kinsmen Easter Egg Hunt agreed — it couldn’t have been better day.

“It was phenomenal,” says Candice Penny, executive director of the Niagara Nursery School and Child Care Centre. “We couldn’t have asked for better weather, or a better turnout. We’re all so pleased that everyone had a great time.”

Although organizing the Bunny Trail is a lot of work, it’s been somewhat simplified, says Penny, and refocused on child-driven activities.

And while it’s an important fundraiser, “having the community come together is what’s really important.”

Seeing the little ones having fun is the best part, and sometimes seeing those who have graduated and are in high school, “surpassing my height,” is also gratifying, she says.

The nursery school, which has been helping families and their little ones for 51 years, is having trouble pinning down the first Bunny Trail, but they’re guessing this was the 30th year for it. “We’re still trying to figure that out,” she says.

They began as a partnership at the Kinsmen Scout Hall — the Kinsmen held their first egg hunt 47 years ago, but moved to the Anderson Lane location for the event so they could continue to partner with the nursery school.

“We’re so grateful for that relationship,” says Penny.

And although everyone loves their new, expanded space at the nursery school — now able to accommodate 69 little ones — “we still have a waiting list for more than 230 children in town, and sadly, it’s the same across the region.”

There just aren’t a lot of options for families looking for day care spaces, she says. “We wish we could take all of them. As soon as we have a space we try to fill it. We just don’t have enough spaces.”