anabolic frolic

Promoters rave at costs, rules

Cindy E. Harnett
Victoria Times Colonist


Two draft bylaws to allow all-night clubs and special events in Victoria were unveiled at City Hall Thursday but the only rave from promoters was that about prohibitive costs and rules.

"Whether this bylaw passes or not will make no difference," said Victoria DJ Rennie "dubnut" Foster. "The cost is unreasonable for small events. Young entrepreneurs or owners will not be able to put on these events legally so they will continue to happen underground."

The two pieces of legislation, which amend the city's dance hall bylaw, are expected to go before a public hearing on Dec. 13 and are expected to pass before Christmas. Business licences are renewed annually in January.

One of the proposed bylaws would allow special-event permits for alcohol-free, all-night raves from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m..

The second piece of legislation would be two-fold and require rezoning. It would allow for an all-night alcohol-free dance club for people 16 years and older closing at 6 a.m. and separate youth clubs for teens aged 15 to 18 closing at 1 a.m.

Victoria downtown co-ordinator Elizabeth Low said after broad consultation, city staff tried to balance the needs of promoters, club owners and operators while ensuring public safety and keeping a lid on noise.

"I don't think we are crippling them," said Low. "We are putting limits on some of the things they can do.

"There are some potential operators who feel they have found a warehouse somewhere but code issues are going to be significant. The reality is you are going to have to have security, have medical, meet code.

"Obviously, we have to make something that works for everybody," said Victoria Mayor Alan Lowe.

Whitebird Records owner John Beaumier instigated the process last year. Frustrated that cabarets can't remain open past 2 a.m., he drafted a proposal to make late-night dance halls safe and legal.

But several incarnations later, the city's made-in-Victoria bylaws, loosely based on those in Calgary, include several conditions promoters suggest may prove too expensive and unrealistic.

Nigel Tasko, who has staged successful raves at Memorial Arena to the approval of City Hall and city police, admitted Thursday he continues to be frustrated by the bylaw process.

None of the proposed permits would allow events to take place in venues which hold permanent liquor licences, according to Rob Woodland, the city's legislative services manager.

As well, an all-night special event can only be held at one particular facility a maximum of six times a year. That number was chosen by the days Memorial Arena has available next year, said Low.

The ceiling on raves has been set at 2,000 people. No other city has placed that restriction on attendance numbers.

"They have more demand in larger cities for 5,000-people raves, we don't have any venues that large," said Low.

Moreover, Victoria has few buildings that will either meet the proposed safety and health-code or location requirements.

"I play in other cities É and I can tell you Victoria is way behind the times and continues to be and if they think they'll get a pat on the back (for this bylaw) they're mistaken," said Foster.

The associated charges to stage an all-night special event or run an all-night club are affected by a wide variety of costs including the licence fees -- for example $750 for more than 1,000 people -- and specified staff levels -- for instance, three special duty police constables would be mandatory for crowds of 751 to 1,000.

Damian Cownden, an operator at Sugar on Yates Street, said the special-events permits will not work due to the costs involved but says he hopes to take advantage of the all-night club permits.

"I think you will find no one will pull a permit for a special event. It's too costly and that's unfortunate because if they made it a little more realistic there would probably be more, safer events thrown legally," said Cownden.

Low said the fees have already been dropped to below cost at the request of promoters.

Victoria Police Chief Paul Battershill said the police department is generally supportive of the conditions and restrictions laid out in the bylaws.

"It's probably something that will probably have to evolve over time," said Battershill. The police chief said he remains worried however that the teen events could end up located too closely to adult bars.

Club Hollywood, a teen dance club on Broad Street, came under fire when it opened recently because management could not contain the huge crowds that turned up outside the popular nightclub in the first few weeks of operation.

In reaction to fears the club was accommodating too wide an age-range, owner Doug Hodson voluntarily restricted the teen club patronage to 15 to 18-year olds. But that age group has now shown up in the city's bylaws and restricts the possibility of all-age events at any teen club in the city.

Hodson is concerned if the bylaws are too restrictive no one will win -- especially business owners trying to make a go of downtown.

"As a building owner it doesn't work," said Hodson. "We think it's unfair to push it through so fast.

"We're the only teen club in town and they (city officials) haven't even walked through it. From the outside looking in the bylaws are based on something they haven't had time to fully research."

© Copyright2001 Victoria Times Colonist