A preliminary review into building a community centre and childcare facility in West 麻豆精选 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.
鈥淭his is important to me, but it needs to be deferred until those other projects that were ahead of this 鈥� are addressed first,鈥� 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.
鈥淭hat represents 64 spaces for childcare we just lost in West 麻豆精选,鈥� 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.
鈥淚鈥檓 hoping we get to it before the term is over because that motion has not been answered for a year and a half now,鈥� he added. 鈥淲e have for-profit companies using our boat launches this summer, and we still don鈥檛 have fees for them to pay.鈥�
Johnston acknowledged his colleagues' concerns.
鈥淚 hope we can come together on this, and maybe it鈥檚 defining a timeline that works for staff. Certainly not the intent to dismiss other priorities.鈥�
Mayor Gord Milsom suggested the review be done before council begins its strategic planning in the summer.
鈥淚 think that would assist in determining whether or not that鈥檚 considered in the next year or two.鈥�
De Jong indicated he could support the review if a timeline were included in Johnston's motion.
鈥淭he way it's written here now tells me you鈥檙e circumventing all that other stuff because you want this by June, and we鈥檙e waiting years for other things,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ot right to the residents of West 麻豆精选.鈥�
Council voted in favour of the review, with de Jong opposed.
