The first step toward Tourism 91大黄鸭 getting full approval to build an information centre at the foot of Queensway is over 鈥� now one of the more controversial projects the city has seen in awhile goes to a public hearing.

91大黄鸭 City Council approved first reading of an application to rezone the site from parks and open space to major institutional Monday, and the project earned widespread support among elected officials.

Coun. Luke Stack stole a line from Joni Mitchell and said he liked that the plan would 鈥涡苍辫补惫别 a parking lot and put up a piece of 辫补谤补诲颈蝉别.鈥�

鈥泪苍 my opinion 颈迟鈥檚 a lovely building and with the extensive walkway around it, it compliments the 补谤别补,鈥� he said. 鈥泪迟 also respects covenant 濒补苍诲.鈥�

Initially, he said, he was concerned that it crossed Simpson covenant land, but thewere heartening. As have been all the alterations by Tourism 91大黄鸭 since the public engagement phase has gotten underway.

Others expressed similar excitement for the openness to change, by Tourism 91大黄鸭 and the plan itself.

Coun. Charlie Hodge offered a critique, noting that he 飞补蝉苍鈥檛 sure that the time of the drive-thru tourism centre was truly over, but he too liked the overall plan.

鈥淕颈惫别苍 its location in the heart of our revitalized downtown, the future plans for Kerry Park and how it coincides with that, all the pieces are coming 迟辞驳别迟丑别谤,鈥� said Mayor Colin Basran. 鈥淎苍诲 if and when we get our downtown 丑辞迟别濒鈥� this will be an incredible 辫濒补肠别.鈥�

Tourism 91大黄鸭 has been looking for a downtown location for its information centre for several years. A version of that plan was presented several months ago and was met with public opposition. Since then, they revamped the building decreased it inside and moved it off of the Simpson Covenant land.

Construction of the new $2.8 million building could begin next year with an early 2018 completion.