A preliminary review into building a community centre and childcare facility in West Âé¶čAV will move forward despite concerns from council about overburdening staff and prioritizing it over other pending projects.
Councillor Stephen Johnston introduced a notice of motion at the March 25 council meeting, requesting staff to review the property at 2490 Shannon Woods Drive to assess its suitability for the project. The Shannon Lake Neighbourhood Association (SLNA) first proposed the idea to council in January.
Coun. Rick de Jong acknowledged the importance of the project but expressed concern about the city's limited staffing and the backlog of priority items, such as short-term rental regulations and boat launch fees, that remain unresolved.
âThis is important to me, but it needs to be deferred until those other projects that were ahead of this ⊠are addressed first,â he said.
Coun. Tasha Da Silva also questioned prioritizing the review over more urgent matters but emphasized the community's need for childcare, particularly after the recent closure of BrightPath Childcare.
âThat represents 64 spaces for childcare we just lost in West Âé¶čAV,â she said.
Coun. Garrett Millsap supported going ahead with the review but shared de Jong's frustration over unresolved issues, specifically boat launch fees, which he initially raised in 2024.
âIâm hoping we get to it before the term is over because that motion has not been answered for a year and a half now,â he added. âWe have for-profit companies using our boat launches this summer, and we still donât have fees for them to pay.â
Johnston acknowledged his colleagues' concerns.
âI hope we can come together on this, and maybe itâs defining a timeline that works for staff. Certainly not the intent to dismiss other priorities.â
Mayor Gord Milsom suggested the review be done before council begins its strategic planning in the summer.
âI think that would assist in determining whether or not thatâs considered in the next year or two.â
De Jong indicated he could support the review if a timeline were included in Johnston's motion.
âThe way it's written here now tells me youâre circumventing all that other stuff because you want this by June, and weâre waiting years for other things,â he said. âNot right to the residents of West Âé¶čAV.â
Council voted in favour of the review, with de Jong opposed.
