Let's talk over drinks

The debate about the liquor application by Chances Community Gaming Centre will be given an extra look, Prince Rupert City Council mindful of the increased interest in the application has provided an extra session of council for interested citizens to provide their opinions on a new liquor dispensing establishment in the community.

Council only was scheduled to meet once this month, as the meeting of the 24th has been scrubbed as the mayor and council make their plans to attend the annual UBCM convention, which is the provinces yearly meet and greet of municipal and provincial politicians. The local political class will mingle among their own in Vancouver from September 24-28.

However before they pack their bags some tidying up on the liquor issue is required, the interest in the Chances application has resulted in council holding a special meeting on September 17th. The special sessions seems to have come about due mainly to the intervention of councillor Joy Thorkelson, who has been a strong advocate for more public input into the liquor application.

Thorkelson lobbied her fellow councillors successfully to add verbal comments to the written commentary process and with that verbal process now in place for the 10th, the actual decision to send its blessing or not on to the Liquor board will not be voted on until the special session of the 17th.

The Daily News outlined some of the background on the issue on the front page of it's Wednesday edition.

Council refuses to call 'time' on liquor debate
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Pages one and seven

Prince Rupert city council has decided to deal out more time to allow people to comment on the Chances Community Gaming Centre liquor licence application.

The three-week written comment period on the application was supposed to close Mon., Sept. 10, at 4 p.m., but Coun. Joy Thorkelson pushed council to open up the meeting to verbal input from the public as well.

"I thought we would be having a public hearing and making the decision later. I hate being rushed into decisions. I find this a weighty decision. I don't think this will be an easy decision.
"I thought there would be some time for some reflection," said Thorkelson.

"I would be a lot more comfortable if we made the decision now to allow public input on Sept. 10 and then had a meeting on the 17th."

Council originally intended review all the information gathered and make their decision at the Sept. 10 meeting because they only hold one meeting that month.

The Chances Gaming Centre is hoping to open by Sept. 28 and needs to have its liquor licence approved by the B.C. Liquor Control and Licensing Board at that time.

So, council agreed to open the floor to verbal comment at the Sept. 10 meeting and hold a special meeting to decide its opinion on the issue on Mon., Sept. 17.

"There's nothing wrong with taking that time. This is a big decision to some people and it's bigger to others," said Coun. Tony Briglio.

The Chances Community Gaming Centre is applying for a liquor licence from the province and the city is currently collecting public comment about the application.

"The public has the opportunity over a three-week period to provide us with comments in a written format that we will summarize and provide in a report to council at the Sept. 10 meeting," said Douglas Jay, corporate administrator.

The application was made to the provincial Liquor Control and Licensing Board, which referred the application to the city.

It will accept comment from the city including the location of Chances, its proximity to other social and recreational facilities or public buildings, person capacity and the proposed hours of service, market focus, traffic, noise, population density and trends, relevant socio-economic information and community impact among other criterion.

Chances is proposing to offer liquor service from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week, and must cease when the gaming centre closes.

According to the Chances' application, the target market is between the ages of 22 and 60, with an average income and education level. It includes the local population as well as a large number of tourists in its expected clientele.

"The proposed establishment is centrally located and blocks away from where the cruise ships dock. With the positive economic future of the region, it is anticipated that a large number of our clientele will be guests to the city," wrote Craig Briere, Chances Gaming Centre.

Chances has preliminary support for its application from the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, which is licensing the gaming activities at the centre.

While the city can submit an opinion on the application, it does not have the ability to approve or deny the application.

"Ultimately, we are not the decision-making authority. We are one of a number of agencies that are being consulted. It is the liquor control branch that is the final decision maker. One of the ways we can do that is provide community input," said Prince Rupert Mayor Herb Pond.