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Day care debate
MetroValley Newspaper Group -- North Shore Outlook
31 Aug 2006
City of North Vancouver residents oppose the expansion of
a day care in their neighbourhood.
EXCERPT
The demand for day care may be on the rise, but some City
of North Vancouver residents want to have input on the childcare
facilities being approved in their backyards.
Residents on East 4th Street in North Vancouver have asked
the city to change its bylaw that allows childcare facilities
for up to 20 children in residential neighbourhoods - without
public input.
The issue was raised in response to a proposal by ... Childcare
Society to convert a two-storey home into a childcare facility
for 16 children and four staff....
Some residents believe the day care is too large for the
residential neighbourhood made up of single-family dwellings,
and will create noise and parking problems. They argue their
objections to the development are not being heard because
of the city's current regulations.
"We feel there's no recourse for anyone," said neighbour
....
"We're not anti-day care, it's more the size of this day
care near our home. Perhaps larger day cares should be put
in school grounds or community centres."
As a mother of two, ... says she is well aware of the
shortage of day care on the North Shore, but says the public
should have input on where they can and can't be located.
Both the District of North and West Vancouver's bylaws require
public input before a day care of 16 children can be approved
in a residential neighbourhood.
Last month city council deferred a decision on changing
the bylaw because all members of council were not present.
Representatives of ... Childcare Society have stated
they are shocked that homeowners in a single family neighbourhood
would oppose a day care, citing a day-care crisis as being
an issue for everyone.
They've since invited neighbours to the property to view
the fencing and landscaping that has been added as a sound
barrier.
City of North Van Mayor Darrell Mussatto noted that his
municipality has never had a problem with day cares in residential
areas in the past.
"I think we need to see what the concerns actually are once
the day care is up and running rather than try to guess what
the problems might or might not be," he said.
"There's dire need for affordable or just childcare in general,
especially for infant and toddler care."
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