Despite a passionate presentation from Liquid Zoo manager David Habib, council voted not to support an application to extend the closing time and capacity increase for the downtown nightclub.
At a June 13 public hearing, Habib asked council to support a bid to let the Zoo stay open until 3 a.m. and increase customer capacity from the current 500 to 655. Several councillors pointed to a letter from Âé¶čAV RCMP Supt. Kara Triance, which outlined numerous concerns with the application, as a reason for non-support.
âAdditional nightclub operating hours beyond 2 a.m. will cause operation impacts to the RCMP that may result in reduced levels of service in both Âé¶čAV and neighbouring communities,â the letter stated.
Habib countered that itâs imperative to have a couple of locations open until 3 a.m.
âAs a man whoâs looking for safety, I donât want the guys that close at 2 a.m., even though I wonât let people in after 2 a.m., I donât want everybody closing their place and rushing over to our place.â
Triance also wrote that increased occupancy levels will interfere with people getting home safely, due to a current shortage of taxis and ride-share options, further drawing out the time people are loitering downtown, and leading to confrontations, fights and vandalism.
Habib told council that the Zoo has 16 security staff with Justice Institute certification, including 10 with advanced training, which allows them to make arrests and handcuff individuals. He added there have been no incidents of violence inside or outside the nightclub this year.
âThe RCMP have told me during our meetings that the Liquid Zoo is the safest run establishment we have,â he added.
READ MORE: âSafety is paramountâ: Âé¶čAV nightlife can be a zoo sometimes
He said that RCMP members even asked him to back them up because there were only two officers downtown one day during the summer last year.
âSo we have been called upon weâve been there and not just for them but for many other establishments in our community.â
Habib added the capacity increase to 655 is the nightclubâs fire code capacity, and the reason is due to the success of a new upstairs country bar.
âIf I want 250 people up there, which the fire capacity allows, that means I only want 250 downstairs. But when we do it the way itâs done now they (fire code) mandate 400 down and 100 up. They wonât allow you to differentiate from that.â
He said the intention is not to exceed 500 people, but instead to have the flexibility to use the space that comes from increased capacity.
Downtown resident Les Bellamy, who is opposed to the Revelry Food+Music Hub going in next door to the Madison condos on Ellis Street, questioned city staffâs consistency on the two files.
âThe similarities between these two applications are almost identicalâŠyet we have city staff endorsing one application and rejecting another within a very short period of time. So I feel thereâs an unjust bias happening here and I donât think thatâs in our communityâs best interest.â
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However, Ryan Smith, director of planning and development, told council that applications do differ.
In terms of policy compliance, staff believe that the policy was applied correctly in this case, the purposes of each venue are different as the Revelry is an event driven establishment with food service, which differs from a nightclub, explained Smith.
While council was in support of special event 3 a.m. closings, which happen six times per year, it did not support the Zooâs application.
âI think itâs understood by council that it ends up being there is some benefits to this,â said Mayor Tom Dyas. âItâs just the information that we have in front of us right at this point in time may not allow us to kind of move forward, but it is something that we truly need to explore.â
READ MORE: One person taken to hospital, RCMP collecting evidence outside Âé¶čAV mall
gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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