Grant Avenue daycare gets one-year extension

It’s been rejected and accepted, and now it’s been extended.

A 65-space Grant Avenue childcare facility was given a one-year extension, following a unanimous vote from Port Coquitlam council on Tuesday.

The project was initially voted down in 2023 after neighbours criticized the project and voiced concerns about increased noise, depressed property values, roving wildlife and “unfamiliar individuals” threatening neighbourhood safety.

However, two weeks after that 5-1 rejection, Mayor Brad West – who was absent from the initial vote – used his authority to bring the matter back to council for a second look.

West emphasized the need for childcare while suggesting some of the concerns about the project had “no basis in reality or any factual underpinning.”

There is no connection between proximity to daycare and decreased property values, West said, adding that parking problems in the area may be connected to the legal and illegal suites on Grant.

While some councillors remained skeptical, council voted 6-1 to move the project forward in October 2023. Coun. Dean Washington opposed the motion.

However, with time running out to consolidate lots and demolish the building, the applicant applied for a 12-month extension, citing the “substantial costs” of offsite work.

The applicant has since secured more money to complete the outstanding work, according to a city staff report.

As “no relevant circumstances” have changed since the 2023 approval, staff recommended granting the extension.

Council approved the extension without discussion.

The 2023 approval specified the applicant contribute $80,000 to $100,000 in road improvements.