A local daycare owner can now apply for a development permit to set up a child care centre inside the Days Inn hotel on Second Avenue.

That became clear Monday evening, after city council passed the final two readings for the rezoning to allow for the centre.

The rezoning passed 5-2, with councillors Jan Stick and Laura Cabott voting against the final readings.

All acknowledged the decision was a very difficult one.

As Coun. Steve Roddick stated: “This is certainly a challenging issue.”

He noted there are valid concerns about the location and said there can be a danger in spot zoning. At the same time, Roddick argued there’s a lot of zoning that is now out of date and may be looked at in the review of the Official Community Plan (OCP) and the subsequent view of the zoning bylaw.

Proponent Joy Agus has pointed to a waiting list of 30 for spots at the new daycare. Given the clear need for daycare spots, Roddick supported the rezoning.

The outdoor play space proposed for the daycare was a major issue that continued to come up throughout the rezoning process.

Debate ensued over whether the proposed 56 square metres fenced space to be developed in the current parking lot off of Fourth Avenue is appropriate for a daycare.

There are also plans for older children from the daycare to make use of local parks – either by walking to places like Shipyards Park or being driven in a 15-seat passenger van Agus plans to have.

The proposal met outdoor space requirements for childcare centres under city zoning regulations.

However, numerous concerns were expressed about safety in street crossings and the length of the walk to Shipyards Park for young children, as well as the space attached to the daycare. It will be long and narrow, rather than a more wide open space.

Agus is also asking the hotel for a possible larger outdoor space, though it has yet to be approved by Days Inn officials.

Cabott said it’s clear Agus has a good reputation for daycare operations and is doing the best that can be done with limited space.

However, the attached outdoor space appears “more like a dog run than a play area,” Cabott said.

She also pointed out the parking lot currently has C-cans and propane tanks. Given its location next to Fourth Avenue (with the front of the hotel on Second Avenue), the play area would be surrounded by traffic and emissions, she pointed out.

And while the offsite park space of Shipyards Park would be within the 400-metre distance, Cabott commented that bringing a group of children to the park would take longer than the estimated five-minute walking time the city considers as a suitable walking distance time.

There would be a minimum of two street crossings – including on Second Avenue, the city’s busiest street. In her view, Cabott said it’s not sensible, practical nor safe.

She also pointed to issues with the Fourth Avenue access, which is proposed to be a right turn only entrance and exit.

Cabott suggested that there may be a small number of drivers who don’t follow the signs – which could cause traffic backups and other issues.

While there is a need for more daycare spaces in the city, she argued, the zoning for this space should not be changed just to allow for that.

Cabott said she would like to see the issue explored as part of the OCP review and find more suitable locations for childcare centres.

Stick pointed to similar concerns, acknowledging she’s gone “back and forth” on the issue.

She said she recognizes the need for quality daycare, but there’s also a balance to be looked at in providing accessible play areas and safety.

Like Cabott, Stick has concerns about children crossing Second Avenue to get to Shipyards Park, describing the busy street as “one of the least safe roads in Whitehorse” and stressing the importance of outdoor space for kids.

Coun. Jocelyn Curteanu, a mother of four, has had her children in various types of child care over the years in different parts of the country.

In some places, she said, it was rare to find a daycare that had outdoor space available for children. In Whitehorse, there are a number of daycares that don’t have their own outdoor space, but access local parks and public areas to get kids outside.

In an ideal world, Curteanu argued, there would be large designated outdoor space accessible to daycares.

In reality, she then said, parents need to go to work to provide for their families. Not being able to do that because of a lack of daycare spaces, she said, puts added stress on many families.

Curteanu argued that Agus is doing the best to provide whatever space she can, and many families clearly trust Agus.

Curteanu questioned, “Who am I to tell parents where (they can send their kids to daycare)?”

Similarly, Mayor Dan Curtis recalled his two now adult sons’ experience going to daycare.

During their years attending daycare in Riverdale, he said, they often walked downtown, which provided valuable lessons in road safety.

While those from the proposed Days Inn daycare would have to cross the road, he said, it wouldn’t be far to get to the riverfront trail, where they could then walk an entirely pedestrian route away from traffic to Shipyards Park. He said he had “absolutely no issue” favouring the zoning change.

Coun. Samson Hartland also pointed to the community atmosphere from which children who are out and about downtown can benefit.

As he pointed out, there are numerous elements beyond Shipyards Park that open up for young children to learn about their city: the MacBride Museum, the downtown gardens, Rotary Peace Park and more.

Hartland also noted that precedents have also been set, with a number of daycares that don’t have immediate on-site access to outdoor space.

Cabott later countered that other daycares tend to be closer to local parks and the waterfront trail.

Coun. Dan Boyd, who attended last night’s session by conference call, said he believes the site is appropriate for the zoning change.

He noted it will now be up to development officers to ensure that the best possible outdoor space is provided for those attending the daycare.

Edwin Woloshyn has made presentations with Agus to council on the proposal. Outside council chambers Monday, he criticized Cabott’s and Stick’s votes, pointing out there are numerous local daycares without a dedicated outdoor space.