Vancouver becoming the no-fun city again???

[SpongeG]

have you heard about this?

No-fun closing times are turning the clock back towards Hicksville
The Province
Monday, March 24, 2008
Page: A16
Section: Editorial
Byline: Jack Keating
Source: The Province

Vancouver's no-fun bureaucrats are at it again.

Vancouver has quietly adopted a policy where senior bureaucrats -- and it's these folks who really run the city -- have decided most restaurants, bar and grills, cafe/lounges and pubs that serve beer, wine and spirits will have to close at midnight, even on Friday and Saturday nights.

That's right. The bureaucrats want everyone to stop having fun and go home at midnight. What a sham!

The city wants to turn Commercial Drive, Main and Cambie streets, Broadway, West 4th and other areas into ghost towns at midnight.

Imagine telling someone from Montreal, Toronto, New York, Europe, Australia -- or even Calgary or Seattle, for that matter -- that you can't get a glass of wine or beer, or listen to live music after midnight in most areas of the city.

The reaction would be disbelief. And this in a city that is practically begging tourists to visit.

The law in B.C. says you can legally drink until 4 a.m. -- something Vancouver's chief license inspector, Paul Teichroeb, readily admits.

But Vancouver's bureaucrats and politicians have arbitrarily deemed midnight as closing time in all but the entertainment district downtown.

This march toward Hicksville actually began 30 months ago under the guise of pretending to liberalize the city's archaic drinking bylaws.

With the most restrictive drinking laws of any major city in the western world, Vancouver was dragged kicking and screaming into the 20th century in 2003 when it was revealed city officials were strictly enforcing a bylaw that banned dancing in restaurants and more than two musicians on stage.

Several popular restaurants on Main and Commercial were actually threatened with $2,000 fines and possible closure for violating the bylaw.

There was outrage.

Mayor Larry Campbell termed the bylaw "absolutely ludicrous" and "nutso," while Coun. Jim Green said the city had become "a laughingstock" over the issue.

But in taking one step forward -- allowing live music and dancing -- the city has taken two steps back by forcing establishments to close one or two hours earlier than before.

The same bureaucrats who were given the task of liberalizing antiquated bylaws have actually turned the clock back.

Owners are opposed to the ridiculously early closing times. But they have to agree to them, as it's the only way they'll get a business licence to open and operate.

Even nightclubs and cabarets, which for decades were allowed to stay open until 2 a.m., are being ordered to close at midnight. Some after much haggling with the city's bureaucracy, are granted a one-hour extension until 1 a.m.

Unbelievable.

These latest edicts are reminiscent of the hare-brained, anti-fun decisions of the '80s and '90s that got Vancouver branded a "no fun" city in the first place.

This backward/backwater policy must change.

jkeating@png.canwest.com

[Nutterbug]

But Vancouver's bureaucrats and politicians have arbitrarily deemed midnight as closing time in all but the entertainment district downtown.

What ties do they have to those businesses?

[EastVanMark]

Originally Posted by Nutterbug

What ties do they have to those businesses?

The ties are simply this: they want to make themselves look good. In the 90's city planners came up with an idea of creating an "entertainment district" to help revitalize Granville street AND to push bars and restaurants out of newly planned residential neighborhoods in and around the downtown core. Those who saw the writing on the wall AND had the funds, moved their businesses onto the Granville strip. Those others, who are less fortunate are met with constant police and city harassment to "encourage" them to leave.

[zivan56]

In Europe (parts that I've been to) during the summer, most younger people go out from around 12am-1am to 3am. Most of the clubs are located near the city centres and are open to at least 2am or so (depending where). I've yet to see a fight and an unfriendly environment like Granville Street over there, not that there aren't fights and whatnot...but Vancouver is really a joke compared to other places. Personally, I haven't been to a bar on Granville for years, as all the hicks go there....Yaletown is decent, but severely overpriced and filled with yuppie posers. Overall, it's pretty sad compared to other cities in the world.

[agrant]

Not much else to add. There is clearly a demand for late night fun. I fail to see why there isn't at least another zone for this. Every neighborhood should have something. People should prepare to hear more yahoos randomly yelling and screaming at a late night neighborhood party, since that's the only place to go. Just seems like an ill informed decision.

[cornholio]

Originally Posted by zivan56

In Europe (parts that I've been to) during the summer, most younger people go out from around 12am-1am to 3am. Most of the clubs are located near the city centres and are open to at least 2am or so (depending where). I've yet to see a fight and an unfriendly environment like Granville Street over there, not that there aren't fights and whatnot...but Vancouver is really a joke compared to other places. Personally, I haven't been to a bar on Granville for years, as all the hicks go there....Yaletown is decent, but severely overpriced and filled with yuppie posers. Overall, it's pretty sad compared to other cities in the world.

Its because A) there is a large selection of places to go so you dont mix different crowds together.
B) the places are open much longer so you dont have crowds of people being all kicked out at the same time who have been drinking and arent ready to end their evening but sudenly find themselves on the street with nothing to do.
a combination of A and B is what causes just about ALL the problems that Vancouver complains about, and now their trying to make it worse.

[baggab]

I find The Province, a joke. This article to me is just sensationalized hear-say.

Name some names or provide some proof. The author doesn't back anything up with any substance and presents the discussion as if it'll pass.

I am glad I don't subscribe to this useless dying medium. I think that's the one thing I like about getting news online more, it's so much easier to sift through.

[Smooth]

Concentrating all of Vancouver's late night clubs in one area is about as effective as concentrating all of Vancouver's social services in one area. We all know how that turned out.

[Nutterbug]

Originally Posted by Smooth

Concentrating all of Vancouver's late night clubs in one area is about as effective as concentrating all of Vancouver's social services in one area. We all know how that turned out.

Probably a deliberately intended containment area for policing convenience.

[quobobo]

This city could be so great if it wasn't for all the dumb bylaws...

[zivan56]

Vancouver was a no fun zone a long time ago. I have had more fun in a village in Croatia than I've ever had here...its quite sad that senile people pass dictatorial neocon bylaws at their own discretion.

[EastVanMark]

Originally Posted by quobobo

This city could be so great if it wasn't for all the dumb bylaws...

***NO F*CKING KIDDING****

[MistyMountainHop]

What the fuck?

[Hed Kandi]

No drinking establishment should be forced to close before 8am.

This city should shoot for world class club status not unlike Ibiza, Cancun, Ko Pha Ngan, South Beach, etc

We need a mayor who can promote this city as a city of night life and turn every retirement home community (Coal Harbor, Yaletown) into a 24hr party zone!!!

[MistyMountainHop]

I like your thinking!

And lower the drinking age and legalize marijuana while they're at it ...

[raggedy13]

This is ridiculous. Is this actually set to go into effect at some point or just being discussed? If I was one of the mayoral candidates in the upcoming election I would make quashing this policy part of my platform. You'd immediate win over the younger voters. The stupid thing about keeping the entertainment district open longer than everywhere else is that so many of the Granville crowd are suburbanites. The city is shafting its own residents who generally try to avoid the genericness of Granville, while the good times can keep rolling for the unappreciative suburban skanks and chaches... and gang members.

[djh]

^Totally agree.

[raggedy13]

In addition, if this went into effect, Granville Street would likely be flooded with even more people once everywhere else closes at midnight. They already have enough problems with overcrowding leading to fights etc. Is potentially doubling the number of people on the street going to be helpful? They would have to close the street to traffic every weekend night and there would need to be more establishments opened otherwise Granville Street is going to be one big no-fun line up of people all night. It pretty much already is.

[clooless]

Originally Posted by marmorek

I like your thinking!

And lower the drinking age and legalize marijuana while they're at it ...

Word.

Forcing bars and restaurants to close at midnight? This is the first I've heard of this. World class city? What a joke. This makes even less sense given that all of the surrounding municipalities permit bars and restaurants to remain open until 2 AM.

[jlousa]

You do realize the polictians are doing this because it is want the general public wants. I don't agree with all of it either but I can understand why they're doing it. The fact is these young people you speak of are a vast minority most of which do not even vote.
I think midnight is too early but I can understand wanting to reduce the hours in places like commercial drive, it's mostly residential and not fair to the residents living there to be woken up at 4am by drunks. This isn't Nimbism it's common courtesy. Also the idea of concentrating the drinking in an entertainment area isn't such a bad one, while it obvious attracts trouble, it is still easier to manage one large area then several smaller ones scattered across the area.
Besides this isn't only a City of Vancouver issue I don't beleive any of the neighbouring cities use the extended hours do they?