For city councillor Dave Stockdale, a visit to a local musher's kennel made all the difference in his vote to allow a boarding kennel there to go ahead.

Stockdale had previously vocalized his opposition to granting a conditional use application for a boarding kennel on Squatter's Road.

However, he was quick to offer his support for the proposal Monday night along with the rest of council.

As he told the rest of council prior to the vote, he had changed his mind about Genesee Keevil's application after he and Coun. Betty Irwin visited Keevil's property where the boarding kennel will be.

"It satisfied all my concerns there,” he said, after commenting on how impressed he was with the dog yard Keevil has now for her own six sled-dogs.

"Her concern for the animals was exemplary,” Stockdale said, noting the dogs were friendly and the land was kept clean and in good condition.

With "no doubt” the operation will be run well, he then wished her good luck.

Late last year, Keevil applied to operate the boarding kennel that would see a maximum of 22 dogs staying in her yard – including her six – at any one time.

Council deferred its decision on the matter after it was learned bylaw officers had gone out to her property and found nine dogs on the site, three over her then-limit of six.

Rather than vote on it in December, councillors opted to find out why there were nine dogs on the site.

In a previous interview, Keevil explained that when she had been away for a couple of months, a friend had been watching the dogs and would bring her own dogs over sometimes to play with Keevil's.

It was actually other friends with dogs who gave her the idea to open an outdoor boarding kennel for canines.

A number who have seen her property have asked if, when they're away, their dogs could stay there because of the excellent facilities, she explained.

Along with Stockdale, Irwin and Coun. Florence Roberts offered their praises as well.

Seconding Stockdale's comments, Irwin noted she too had reservations about the proposal until she saw Keevil's property and the dogs. Some of those dogs, Irwin said, have been rescued.

Roberts' concerns were also relieved with a visit to the site. She noted she especially appreciates that the dogs can be segregated if they need to be.

Coun. Dave Austin had also taken Keevil up on her invitation to visit the property for himself, but he noted he would have to go on the information of other councillors because he and his wife couldn't find it.

Though Roberts had no issue finding the site, Stockdale and Irwin sympathized with Austin's difficulty, noting they had to drive around a bit before finally finding the property.

Council was unanimous in its vote to grant the conditional use for the home-based business.

Following the vote, an obviously pleased Keevil waited until the end of the meeting to express her thanks to Stockdale and other council members.

"I'm thrilled,” Keevil said in an interview Tuesday.

The thing that stood out most for her, and what she really appreciated, was councillors' effort to take the time to come out and see the property before voting on the matter.

"They didn't have to,” she said, adding they visited over the Christmas holidays.

It shows they are interested in their constituents and will take the time to explore the issues they vote on, she said.

With the conditional use application now granted, Keevil was planning to get her business licence Tuesday and, with that, she can start up her business.

She's planning to start small with little advertising and see how it goes from there.

Keevil noted she's already heard from a couple of people interested in having their dogs stay there.