The Upper Grand District School Board plans to construct a new child care facility on the Palmerston Public School property.
Building inspector Stacey Pennington reported at the Oct. 25 Minto council meeting that building and public works staff, along with Chris Clarke of Triton Engineering, reviewed the site plan submissions, including the stormwater management report, and “were generally pleased with the level of detail provided and the overall look and design of the project.”
The site plan indicates the board is planning a single-storey 4,558-square-foot building on the northeast side of the property, including infant, toddler and preschool playrooms, as well as change rooms, laundry, barrier-free washrooms, kitchen, staff facilities and offices.
The report notes the development eliminates some playing field space which is required for stormwater management.
A paved circular parking area is planned for the proposed day care with one-way traffic using an existing entrance in the middle of the site exiting to Prospect Street at a new exit on the east side of the property. A total of 24 new angled parking spaces will be provided to create a total of 52 spaces. An additional four spaces may be provided depending on project funding.
“This should help address parking issues for the Palmerston Public School and provide ample parking for the proposed child care facility,” stated Pennington in her report.
“I like the idea of the parking,” commented councillor Ron Elliot, who asked if an area for parents to “drop off” public school students was being created.
Pennington replied the board “formally commented that they are going to address that on an operational level and we haven’t heard back from them on that.”
Councillor Jean Anderson also raised concern of potential traffic flow issues, but noted the “saving grace” would be that day care participants would be arriving largely at different times than the public school students.
Pennington said the board anticipates the one-way traffic restriction will “minimize the problem as much as possible.”
Mayor George Bridge noted, “This will eliminate the problem they’ve got right now with not enough teachers’ parking. The teachers haven’t had a place to park and that causes some of the problems we’ve had before.”
The area around the school has long been plagued by traffic congestion during pick up and drop off times.
In 2015 council authorized parking and stopping restrictions and extended a sidewalk extension in the area of the school in an effort to alleviate the problem.
Council received Pennington’s report, including documents outlining a site plan, erosion and sediment control plan and a servicing and stormwater management report on the new facility.
A bylaw authorizing execution of a site plan agreement with the school board was also passed.
