'Controversial' day care approved
Aldergrove Star
By Al Irwin
June 24, 2009

A children's day care centre in Aldergrove has received final approval from Township council.

Council on June 15 adopted a rezoning bylaw for the property, …

At that time neighbours were split, over the rezoning application that will allow an existing day care facility in a residential area to expand to a Group Children's Day Care centre, with a maximum 25 children.

Proponents … and his wife …currently operate … Daycare as a family day care, with a maximum of seven children.

At the hearing, Coleman told councillors that while the zoning is for 25, his wife, and her two sisters expects to operate with about 15 children.

The extra capacity would provide flexibility to meet emergency child-care needs, he said.

At the public hearing, five area residents spoke against the expansion, while five others, including … father spoke in favour.

.. adjacent neighbour, had told council she had mixed feelings, the .. were good neighbours, and her yard backs onto the …Daycare.

But she thought 25 children in a residential neighbourhood were too many, the equivalent of a classroom in the back yard.

On Monday, Mayor Rick Green said he could not support adoption of the rezoning bylaw, and Councillor Bob Long said that his concern was with the number of children.

"I hear people saying it is not going to be 25 children. If it is not, why do we put 25 on the bylaw? I would feel far more comfortable if it was a reasonable number," said Long.

Long made a motion to reduce the number to 15, but got no support.

"I guess I have to vote against it then, even though I do agree there is a great need for child care," Long said.

The bylaw was adopted in a 6-3 vote with Green and Councillor Bev Dornan joining Long in opposition.