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 Kelowna RCMP Supt. Kara Triance, which outlined numerous concerns with the application, as a reason for non-support.

乌鸦传媒淎dditional nightclub operating hours beyond 2 a.m. will cause operation impacts to the RCMP that may result in reduced levels of service in both Kelowna and neighbouring communities,乌鸦传媒� the letter stated.

Habib countered that it乌鸦传媒檚 imperative to have a couple of locations open until 3 a.m.

乌鸦传媒淎s a man who乌鸦传媒檚 looking for safety, I don乌鸦传媒檛 want the guys that close at 2 a.m., even though I won乌鸦传媒檛 let people in after 2 a.m., I don乌鸦传媒檛 want everybody closing their place and rushing over to our place.乌鸦传媒�

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.

乌鸦传媒淭he RCMP have told me during our meetings that the Liquid Zoo is the safest run establishment we have,乌鸦传媒� he added.

READ MORE: 乌鸦传媒楽afety is paramount乌鸦传媒�: Kelowna 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.

乌鸦传媒淪o we have been called upon we乌鸦传媒檝e been there and not just for them but for many other establishments in our community.乌鸦传媒�

Habib added the capacity increase to 655 is the nightclub乌鸦传媒檚 fire code capacity, and the reason is due to the success of a new upstairs country bar.

乌鸦传媒淚f 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 it乌鸦传媒檚 done now they (fire code) mandate 400 down and 100 up. They won乌鸦传媒檛 allow you to differentiate from that.乌鸦传媒�

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 staff乌鸦传媒檚 consistency on the two files.

乌鸦传媒淭he similarities between these two applications are almost identical乌鸦传媒�yet we have city staff endorsing one application and rejecting another within a very short period of time. So I feel there乌鸦传媒檚 an unjust bias happening here and I don乌鸦传媒檛 think that乌鸦传媒檚 in our community乌鸦传媒檚 best interest.乌鸦传媒�

READ MORE: Legal fund donations to fight downtown Kelowna entertainment venue top $10K

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 Zoo乌鸦传媒檚 application.

乌鸦传媒淚 think it乌鸦传媒檚 understood by council that it ends up being there is some benefits to this,乌鸦传媒� said Mayor Tom Dyas. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 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.乌鸦传媒�

READ MORE: One person taken to hospital, RCMP collecting evidence outside Kelowna mall

gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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