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Rave bylaw will apply to upcoming event

By Mark Nielsen
Peace River Block Daily News


Organizers of a rave set for the Crest Theatre on March 30 will have a few more hoops to jump through before the event can be held.

Council gave third reading Monday to a bylaw that sets out a protocol to help ensure that raves held within the city are safe ones.

Although it must still go through a fourth reading before it can be adopted, deputy administrator John Malcolm said the bylaw still applies to the coming event.

But it appears that the show will go on.

"We've met with them and they are complying with the requirements," Malcolm said Wednesday.

The bylaw makes a city-issued permit mandatory for holding a "late night event" like a rave. And to get that permit, organizers must employ a licensed security firm that would provide entrance control to ensure that alcohol or illicit drugs are not brought onto the premises.

The matter was first brought up more than a year ago, when members of the now-defunct Safer Rave Initiative Group made a presentation to council.

A bylaw was subsequently given two readings, but has remained in limbo ever since while the city waited for the group to draw up a list of approved locations.

With the group now silent for more than a year, it would be easy to assume there is no interest in such an event being held in Dawson Creek.

"However, it would be prudent to have regulations in place should an event be planned in the future," said director of development services, Greg Dobrowolski, in a report to council.

Administrator Jim Chute told council Monday that Dobrowolski's report was prepared before the city knew that a rave was being planned.

Some changes have been made to the bylaw. Rather than designating specific locations, raves will be allowed in areas zoned commercial general. And the processing fee has been increased from $187.50 to $400 per application.

A late night event remains defined as a commercial dance or other entertainment, performance or other event where 20 or more people are assembled at any time between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.

Dawson Creek-based Havoc Productions is putting on the rave which will feature four disc jockeys from Vinylution, a large organization based in Prince George that promotes DJs across Canada.

Tickets are on sale and are available at Selectus, the Cedar Lodge room 67 and at Nightriders from Havoc's Ryan William on Friday and Saturday night. You can also contact William at 782-8531 and ask for room 67.

© Copyright 2002 Peace River Block Daily News

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I posted this article for our own future reference. It has no affect on the scene here, but it's good to note what kind of bylaws are happening in other cities.

From what I understand, Peace River is a city of only 6600 people in Alberta. I wonder what happened there that got the city so interested in passing a law?