Parents can have more daycare space or neighbours can have more quiet – but someone is bound to be disappointed July 10.
District of North Vancouver council is set to weigh in on the proposed expansion of Jelly Bean Academy, a daycare at 1356 Frederick Rd., after hearing from parents decrying the scarcity of child care as well as neighbours objecting to excess decibels.
Jelly Bean applied to increase the number of children in their before- and after-school program from 10 to 17 children.
Owner Nasrin Rahmatian opened her first daycare on Frederick Road in 1990 and has been operating with the same capacity since 1999. She’s also earned rave reviews from parents, 31 of whom signed a petition supporting the expansion.
“She cares for the children as her own,” stated parent Dal Sangha, who described a stimulating, caring environment.
Having their child accepted into Jelly Bean after two years on the wait-list was like winning the “before/after school care lottery,” according to Sangha.
After enrolling their daughter in Jelly Bean, parents Michelle and Erik Wilson were eager for their son to have the same experience.
“We feel that it is important to keep siblings together as it not only makes life easier for us (shortening the pickup and drop-off windows means we have more time to spend with our children) but also allows the children to continue to develop their relationship outside of the home,” they wrote in a letter to council.
There are several similar requests from parents with two or more young children, according to District of North Vancouver staff, who noted the seven extra spots are already “tentatively filled.”
The report also stated Rahmatian hasn’t received any complaints over the last 18 years. However, the expansion was strongly opposed by neighbour Gordon Brown.
Brown is recovering from a stroke he suffered 10 years ago that initially left him unable to speak or write, he wrote in a letter to council.
“Like any person who learns a new language, my brain is exhausted after language exercises or conversation. The way in which I recover is to take a nap,” he wrote. “My sleep is essential for me to be able to function; an increase in the noise may force me to consider moving to a house in a quieter area.”
The daycare runs from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., which sometimes overlaps with Brown’s resting schedule, he wrote.
Having 17 kids nearby would be “deafening,” according to Brown.
“I would rather propose a reduction for the number of children in the backyard to five instead of increasing it to seventeen.”
A letter signed only by “Nearby residents” railed against the extra traffic and noise of children playing outside during nice weather.
However, the expansion was endorsed by Upper Lynn Elementary principal Joan Martins.
“Daycare placements are very difficult to find in the Upper Lynn area,” she wrote.
“I hope that North Vancouver District Council will vote in favour of the variance to allow an increase to the Jelly Bean Academy.”
The child care is open during spring and summer breaks. Jelly Bean’s preschool, which is capped at 10 students and doesn’t run concurrently with the daycare, would be unchanged by the expansion.
District council is scheduled to debate the expansion July 10.
