Through an initiative offered by the provincial goverment in the 1970s a group of families put together a proposal for a parent-run group daycare. The proposal was accepted. Boat Daycare opened its doors in spring 1974, and was licensed by the City of Vancouver in 1976.

Because a large number of the families involved in the startup of our daycare were working on and around the docks of Vancouver, and because the first play structure we had was a boat donated to the centre, it became known as Boat Daycare. The boat is long gone, but the promise of a parent-run daycare is still alive and kicking.

The original administration and operation of the daycare was divided between the board, the parents and three full-time staff. As the years passed and family dynamics changed, one part-time shift was expanded into a full-time position. Today, one Senior Supervisor, three full time Early Childhood Educators and the volunteer parent board are responsible for the management and control of the organization and its programs.