Ban new downtown bars: residents

BARRIE - Downtown residents want a ban on bars.

The violent death of 24-year-old Troy Lush in the heart of Barrie’s core has prompted the area residents’ association to ask council to institute a temporary “freeze on permits to potential new bars” in the city centre.

In the meantime, the Barrie Downtown Neighbourhood Association (BDNA) wants a community-impact study done.

“The stabbing may be just the last straw,” said Mike Fox in a telephone interview. He and seven others comprise the BDNA steering committee responsible for submitting an open letter to council members. “It was time to stand up and say enough is enough.”

The call for a task force of stakeholders details ongoing complaints involving excessive noise and destructive behaviour, concluding “we have reached or surpassed a sustainable number of liquor licenses for late-night bars and clubs in our city centre, with several pending applications and possible new ones on the horizon.”

Even as the letter circulates throughout city hall, a placard sits in the window of the long-closed Port of Barrie near the Five Points detailing a current application for a liquor licence. The submission deadline for questions or comments is Aug. 27. To date, there have been five objections filed, including one from Ward 2 Coun. Jeff Lehman.

“We haven’t received anything from the city,” said Lisa Murray, spokesperson for the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

But while bars can’t be held 100 per cent responsible for the problems downtown, said The Ranch owner Scott McInnes, bar owners do play a part in keeping the community safe.

With 32 cameras in and around the bar, fully trained staff, and redundant security measures, the owner of the largest country bar in Canada said bar owners should all be held to the same duty of care and work closely with each other to share patron information.

According to city clerk Dawn McAlpine, liquor licences are issued by the AGCO and, while the municipality has an opportunity to comment (as does anyone) or add conditions, it doesn’t get the final say on the issuance of a licence.

“A business licence is required for a new premise,” McAlpine added, “But we can't just arbitrarily deny a business licence if all of the requirements are met.”

“This was a particularly brutal and reprehensible act that has shaken us all,” said The Bank nightclub owner Kevin Bubel about the recent stabbing. He agrees a further study into the situation is warranted. “The neighbourhood association has a right to be concerned as we all are.”

Rob Hamilton, who owns The Roxx and The Queen’s Hotel, said the root problem that needs to be addressed is the lack of clientele downtown for daytime-oriented businesses causing them to leave the area or locate elsewhere in the first place.

“The only interest (in vacant downtown real estate) is from the hospitality sector,” he said, wanting to focus more on attracting new residents and employees to the area. “That’s the real fix.”

The BDNA open letter to council is part of Monday night’s agenda package, which is online here.

mlawson@simcoe.com