The Glen Lake Inn in Langford is closing its 27 hotel rooms to make way for some new tenants — including a children’s daycare on its second floor.
Langford council approved a temporary use permit for the daycare. It will operate next to a pub and liquor store.
The property has been the subject of previous applications for various uses, mainly commercial, over the years, according to a staff report to council. “The owners of the site have indicated that they plan further redevelopment of the site in the future, but any such work would need to be the subject of separate development permit or rezoning applications,” the report said.
Owners could not be reached on Thursday.
The inn’s existing liquor store remains, as does the pub, Bucky’s Taphouse, which is under new management.
Pizzability is also at the location. A grocery store, pharmacy and medical clinic are planned, said new tenant Kay Coy, owner of Sunshine Group Daycare.
Coy is creating three classrooms on the second level and a 4,000-square-foot playground, divided for three age groups. She plans to be open in September. Care will be offered for infants up to out-of-school care. She is spending a total of $150,000 on upgrading the inn as well as additional space in the former Colwood Fire Hall, which is also on Sooke Road. Sunshine Daycare already uses some space in the fire hall building.
One of Sunshine’s daycares, located in the Pilgrim United Church on Painter Road in Colwood, is moving. The church’s website states that the congregation voted to disband as of last month.
At the Glen Lake Inn location, child care services will be clearly separated from the liquor store and pub, Coy said. Trees and tall lattices will divide the parking lot. The child care entrance is at the rear of the building and will have a restricted key code for parents and their youngsters.
A wooden privacy fence will go up around the playground. The entrance to the playground will be accessible by a ramp from the child care space, she said.
Coy has been in child care for 19 years and expects to have 26 employees by the fall. Sunshine also operates a site on Loma Linda Drive in Langford.
