East York gets its first parent-friendly workspace that offers childcare

Photography and Article written by Fleur Boomsma

After going through two maternity leaves, Amanda Munday understands what it’s like to work from home with children. That’s when she learned there was a demand for a parent-friendly workspace that also offers a full play-based-curriculum daycare.

She looked at ways that parents could be an asset to the economy. On Oct. 1, Munday opened up an office space that offers entrepreneurs part-time childcare.

Munday says “we often assume that because parents have to take care of young children that means that they’re less available for work, which is simply not true.” This is a great opportunity for you focus work what needs to be done, but at the same time not having to worry about your children.

The open workspace allows entrepreneurs and parents to work and inspire each other // Fleur Boomsma

The name for the office space relates to working around the kids, other parents and working around their challenges. When you have the ability to work around other parents they can amplify your work to be stronger and better.

“I love the play on working around some of the obstacles we face as parents and the idea that the parent community is strong,” Munday said.

The office has two registered early childhood educators (ECE’s) on site that provide quality care. They’re able to support children between the ages of six months to five years old and school aged children during PA days, school holidays/breaks.

 

Location

The Workaround is located at 2080 Danforth Ave., right outside the Woodbine subway station. It used to be a bank. Now it provides 8,200 sq. ft. of workspace and the opportunity for parents to bring their children to a morning or afternoon daycare program.

Munday said this location is important because the area east of Pape has “only enough spaces for 28 per cent of the families to access high quality, licensed care.”

Parents are invited to work in the open space, whether it’s at the high or low-top tables, book meeting rooms (which are named after child books), make use of the kitchen, a podcast room, and a room that is located in the bank’s old vault where they’re able to relax in a hammock.

For most entrepreneurs and work-from-home parents, the busiest time on email is after 8:30 p.m., Munday found. That’s when parents put the kids to bed and get back online.

“If we can reduce that and help them [finish work] during the day and relax in the evening,” she said, “then that’s a better quality of life for everybody.”

What is the cost?

There is a monthly cost of $318/month, which gives you a seat in the common area. You can bring your children for $10/hour, which is a lot more affordable than daycare in Toronto.

Fun facts

The artwork is based around the parenting theme and are made by local, emerging artists.

Everything in the workspace is digital. The Workaround uses a web-based platform so members can register, buy memberships, book meeting rooms and reserve childcare. The idea is to make everything very light-weight for people to work here with no added stress.

If you want to find out more about the Workaround, please CLICK HERE.