Ritchie Bros. receives award for in-house child care facility

Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers has been awarded a 2014 Child Care Award of Excellence for its in-house child care facility at its global headquarters in Burnaby, B.C.

The Ritchie Bros. Corporate Child Care facility opened in September 2009 and is licensed to care for 59 children. The company partly subsidizes child care fees.

The 5,000-sq.-ft. facility features large classrooms, child-sized bathrooms and furniture, as well as two outdoor playgrounds designed by Paul Dirks (architect of the Vancouver Olympic Village). Outdoor facilities also include gardens and a variety of different types of vegetation.

The education curriculum offers a mix of early childhood development programs and techniques, including Montessori, Reggio Emilia and traditional early learning methods.