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Daycare Parking Lot Blocked
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COLUMBIA - A recent vote by management at a condominium complex will make it more difficult to access a daycare facility on one of Columbia's busiest roads.

Kids Depot daycare has paid for almost two decades to use the complex's main drive to help parents access their small parking lot. Now, daycare center owners say that Columbia Condo Management, the owners of the complex, plans to fence off the drive.

This means that Kids Depot will only have one entrance at the busy intersection of Broadway and Fairview.

"If we are limited to one entry and exit point, it's going to put a great strain on parents getting in and out," said Kids Depot director Craig Phillips. "And it's going to put a greater strain on the road because there will be more problems because we'll be even closer to the intersection than we are now."

Phillips says Columbia Condo Management wants to control traffic flow through its complex.

"They took a vote together and decided that too much traffic was traveling between Broadway through their condominium area and out of Fairview," said Kids Depot owner Lisa Gromer, "and they assumed it was my staff, the parents that bring children here, and myself."

Parents are worried that not having that second driveway is going to make entering and exiting Kids Depot extremely hazardous.

"If they shut that off it's gonna be even more dangerous trying to get out into oncoming traffic," said parent Misty Van Pelt. "I don't think it's a very good idea."

"I think it would be extremely dangerous and inconvenient," said parent Laura Jolley.

Columbia Condo Management did not return requests for an interview.

Reported by: Julie Abaray
Posted by: Kyle Stokes

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