Photo: Contributed

Laurier Avenue just outside downtown Kelowna is about to become a hub for day-care centres in the city.

City council Monday gave first three readings to a rezoning application for a new day care at 964 Laurier Avenue.

This one will be located next door to another day-care centre given final zoning approval Monday after it was initially brought to council at the previous meeting.

Staff indicated the two day cares are independently owned.

The day care given initial approval Monday will include space for approximately 63 children with a staff of six including three teachers and three assistants.

It will replace Harmony Living for Seniors, an assisted and supportive housing facility.

While council unanimously supported the application, Coun. Gord Lovegrove did voice some concerns about replacing one needed service without another.

“Are we monitoring the removal of assisted living, we don’t want to solve one problem and create another,” said Lovegrove.

“We need childcare, I support this but what about the assisted living side of things? Do we know?”

Development planning manager Nola Kilmartin told council assisted living numbers are not presently being tracked but those numbers could be available for future proposals.

“Our demographics are changing,” said Coun. Mohini Singh.

“I think the need for childcare is only going to increase in our community.”

The two day-care centres on Laurier Avenue, once operational, will add about 128 new childcare spaces in the city.