A proposed new daycare in south Penticton has been put on hold to give the neighbours and the operator time to iron out concerns.
Council voted this week to put a zoning amendment application on hold for 60 days, delaying Tina Bootsma’s plans to set up a commercial day care centre in a home on Yorkton Avenue.
Bootsma is disappointed with council’s decision, and doesn’t think extra time will help her change the minds of neighbours opposed to the daycare.
“I do believe that the families and concerned citizens in Penticton should speak up and tell the mayor and city council that quality care for children is needed in Penticton and that they support the rezoning of 96 Yorkton Ave.” said Bootsma in an email interview.
“I believe if enough people come forward that city council will sit up and notice that the young children in Penticton need somewhere to go and they should be helping.”
Bootsma requested council add ‘daycare major’ to the list of permitted activities on the Yorkton Avenue property, proposing to operate a daycare out of the home, Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for up to 20 children.
It’s not the first daycare for Bootsma, a certified early childhood educator with 25 years experience, including running centres at Wiltse and Uplands Elementary schools.
Bootsma also ran Dunstan House Preschool and Daycare, which was operated out of a house on Winnipeg Street for over 15 years.
During a public hearing Monday evening, Bootsma told Penticton council that she felt the house on Yorkton would be a perfect site for a daycare, citing its proximity to Skaha Lake Park and the suitability of the lot for additional parking and a play area.
“We thought that would be a good place to spend a lot of time with the children. We would be walking with the children to the park and spending time there,” said Bootsma. “Our main purpose in wanting to be in a house is to give the children a home atmosphere.”
But several nearby residents also attended the public hearing to air their concerns that a commercial daycare centre would change the nature of the neighbourhood with an increase in traffic from daycare staff and parents dropping off their children and noise from children playing.
However, several nearby residents told council they fear a commercial daycare centre would disrupt their neighbourhood, with an increase in traffic from parents dropping off their children, and noise from exuberant youngsters playing outside.
They also feared that once established, the hours of operation and the numbers of children there would expand.
“I don’t believe these people will stick to these hours, especially if financial circumstances dictate otherwise,” said Christopher Stabler.
“This is not being done for the benefit of our neighbourhood, this is an absolutely commercial venture.”
A key argument, however, was raised by Hanna Taylor, who pointed out that many directly affected residents are away on holidays now.
Coun. Judy Sentes suggested that an extended consultation period might also help Bootsma and the neighbours to discuss the hours of operation and scope of the centre, clearing up some of the misinformation.
The 5-2 vote in favour of the 60-day delay also triggers a second public hearing before council can come to a final decision.
Couns Helena Konanz and Andre Martin voted against delaying the final decision.