A Penticton advisory committee will review the impact of bar closures to determine what cost, if any, is associated with partying hard into the early morning.
The issue resurfaced after Penticton council received a letter from Penticton Lakeside Resort general manager David Prystay, who was detailing concerns with bar closing times of 4 a.m. and guests returning to the hotel intoxicated.
“This practice is definitely not good for the City of Penticton and has attracted individuals who mass to party in Penticton because of the ability to ‘party hard’ with the 4 a.m. bar openings,” Prystay wrote.
He provided an invoice for $80,000, which is how much internal accounting estimates find late-night bar openings cost the resort. That includes $10,0000 in room reimbursements for guests complaining of rowdiness; $10,000 in additional security costs because of noise complaints; $10,000 loss of return business for disenfranchised guests; and $50,000 for “negative press/comments internet.”
Coun. John Vassilaki said the invoice includes “bogus numbers,” in reiterating concerns expressed during a city budget meeting last year. During that meeting, he said 4 a.m. closures allow club patrons to stagger departure times rather than leave establishments all the same time, mitigating incidents on the street.
“Those living in glass houses should not throw stones,” he said, adding the 4 a.m. closures happen 16 days out of the year. “There’s just one bar out of four remaining. There’s absolutely no nightlife left in Penticton.”
Coun. Helena Konanz noted Prystay was concurring with Vancouver Police Department’s findings about problems arising with late-night closures.
“You cannot compare Penticton to Vancouver. You’re comparing apples to oranges,” she said.
Coun. Wes Hopkin asked whether it was possible to review the cost of the policy and come up “with something actually credible.”
Coun. Andrew Jakubeit noted that Penticton RCMP Insp. Brad Haugli did describe the additional workload officers must handle to address intoxication during the late closures, “but he didn’t come back with a quantifiable number.
“Maybe it is a cost of doing business as a vibrant summer community,” Jakubeit said, noting the point is “moot” in there is no additional applications for late-night closure before council.
Coun. Garry Litke said he agreed with a staff suggestion that the city’s liquor licence advisory review board could look at the matter further. It was unanimously referred back to staff and the committee.