Plasticmotive

Since the scene is fading partially because of a shortage of good affordable venues, I have a question to ask.
Is it, or is it not legal to throw a party in a warehouse if the right permits are granted and the right specifications are met by the fire control/safty act ???
I've never gotten a clear answer to this question from anybody, someone please answer !!! !!!

Jeff

anabolic frolic

you'll never see a warehouse party ever again. At least not a legal one. And I certainly wouldn't recomend someone to try and sneak a party by nowadays. unlike years ago, the police and media know all about raves and what to look for. It's not like before when they didn't know they existed.

Too many obstacles. Here are some that I can think off off the top of my head:

-zoning. If it's not already zoned for this sort of commercial use (most are zoned industrial) the normal proccess can take a year or 2. Thats standard for any type of business.

-fire exits. This is a big problem. Fire exits are the double door with the pushdown release. Each door is good for about 150 people. So if you were looking at a warehouse you were hoping to put a couple thousand people in, or more, you would be looking at installing DOZENS of new doors. Any other type of exit (loading bay doors, non-fire rated doors) don't count.

-Fully equiped bathrooms. Theres a ratio of how many toilets per so many people there needs to be for each sex.

-fire sprinklers.

-parking.

-licensed as a "public hall". this is seperate from just be commercially zoned.

-Occupancy permit. fire deptartment has to come in and state how many people the place can hold at one time.

theres more, but I can't think of it. The city will evaluate a space for "rave use", but it would be a waste of time until at least all of what I've already listed has already been dealt with.

The costs of obtaining a building and doing the suitable renovations would be astonomical. and no promoter has that kind of money. and everyone would complain about the venue after it had been used a few times anyways.

And considering that it's impossible to zone a new dance club anywhere in toronto outside of the "entertainment district" you'll never see a dedicated rave venue get approval.

Basically the only options available anymore are existing nightclubs, and possibly a banquet hall, but most banquet hall owners want nothing to do with raves or run all night or they're located closed to residential areas and noise would be a problem.

Plasticmotive

Thanks, that clears up a lot! There has to be options though, this is a huge city! We just have to try harder, maybe go outside of the city. From what I've been told that might not even be possible, since no one wants to rent buses for raves. Maybe some of the bigger companies can get together and buy a few used buses and use them primaraly for shuttaling the partiers around. It may sound crazy but if the companies are sharring the costs and the buses it may be worth it. I don't know, we have to keep thinking !!!! I just don't want the scene to die.
In the mean time if you know of a possible venue of any size let us know about it! I beleive it's still possible there are venues in this city that have not been found yet! The scene needs your help, never give up!

Jeff

Rainbow Brit-E

Ever been to a warehouse party? Seriously?
Ok, I know it was cool 'cuz it was underground and secret, BUT paying sooo much for water, and some venues not having proper RUNNING water... and fire hazzards gallore and always being afraid of it being busted. I sometimes miss the old days and then I see how much safer @ parties I feel now. It's sucky that the same old venues are getting ised but if promoters mix it up... like there are still a handful.... then we should stop complaining!!!! And cheers to you for trying to think of new things....it's nice someone is doing somethign other then compaining for once

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or Brite

Brandon

The last warehouse-venue party my crew and I were booked to play at was shut down a day before the party even after the promoters (whose relatives were leasing the warehouse) sunk about $10,000 into improving the bathrooms and making the space safe.

No matter what you do to try to make the space "legal" the authorities will always find a technicality to stop the party from happening.

Now, had the police/fire marshalls not caught wind of the event before it happened, in all likelihood we would have gotten away with it, or been shut down in the middle of the night...the promoters made the mistake of trying to take the legitimate/public safety road and tried to get PDOs for their event. Whoops.


I would say if the event were occuring outside of Toronto and were small enough to not garner outside attention, it would work. But I agree with Anabolic Frolic in that you'll never see a medium-to-large scale party ever happen in that context again.

That being said, there is a warehouse space in Kitchener I've been keeping my eye on...perhaps one day soon...

Nubbie

Do it Brandon, rally the troops!



-=Nub=-

Blackbird

It would more than likely be more difficult to throw a party outside the city than in it. Many of the other regional police departments have cracked down on Raves, and I know York Region Police have become extremly strict. There hasn't been a party up here in a while, and I think Peel Region has followed suit.

*sExsiE bonKa*

why not have like a "venue" fundraiser or something?
whoa lemme slow down....in order to build a venue that would be legal fer a partiE it would cost alllllllotta $$$ rite? kay so why not do something like that....or like get an old warehouse or building and help fix it up.....i know this has been thought of b4 but ya, why not raise the question again....maybe someone wants to donate a million dollars to the "save the rave" funds...or something kinda like that i unno....just my 2 pennies.....*'That's enuf outta u now!! Back to ure corner!!!' 'Yes sir.....'*

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*it's better to burn out then fade away*
**PLeUR**

GlowStickGuy

All of you up in Toronto have 5 or so SOLID venues right now. In Rochester, whithin the past 6 months or so, has had all 2 of our possible venues closed. One is now a sportsbar, and the other is just nothing. We're being trampled by clubby people. AHHHH

Sliz

^^^

I agree.........be happy u have venues.

PeacE: )