Whitehorse council OKs daycare facility in former nightclub

Whitehorse city council has voted in favour of a proposed childcare centre in a former nightclub at the Days Inn Hotel downtown.

After much debate, councillors approved azoning amendment to allow thechildcare centre as a principle use of the site.

But not all councillors agreed the vote on Monday was five to two.

Somequestioned whether it made sense to put a daycare in a commercial area, with little green space around.

But Coun.Jocelyn Curteanusaid on Monday that what's important is that parents have a daycare "that you can trust."

"In an ideal world, I would think all our childcare facilities would have easily-accessible and generous outdoor space for the kids to play,"she said.

"We don't live in an ideal world. We live in reality, and the reality isparents need to go to work. Parents need to go to work to put a roof over the kids' heads and food on the table."

Some councilors were still not happy, though, with the amount of outdoor space the daycare will provide.

'Sounds more like a dog run'

"This proposed space sounds, and I don't mean to be facetious, but it sounds more like a dog run than it does, quote 'a suitable landscape-shaped and -located children's outdoor play area,'" said Coun. Laura Cabott.

Cabottsays it's a great spotfor a parking lot for a hotel, a restaurant or a nightclub.

"It was never zoned to have daycares there, it was never zoned to have parks there, it was never zoned to have schools there, or children," she said.

But Curteanustressedthere is an urgent need for daycare facilities in the city.

"Based on the 30-odd families that are on this wait list, obviously they trust this facility to be a safe and nurturing environment," Curteanu said.

City officials say the proposed development still needs to conform to additional regulations, including national fire and building codes.

The proposed daycare wouldbe able to accommodate up to 63 children, and the proponent plans to operate every day, around the clock.