Town council gave its business hours bylaw a second chance, inviting public comment on proposed revisions.
A second public meeting was held May 7 at the Kinsmen Community Centre. The first meeting was held Jan. 15 — after council passed first reading on the business hours bylaw Nov. 27 — to hear from speakers including RCMP Staff Sgt. Cameron Chisholm.
Mayor Larry Henkelman explained the purpose was for councillors to hear what people thought about the revised bylaw proposal. “We’re ready to listen to what you have to say this evening.”
Councillors passed second reading April 23 after approving amendments to the proposal. Changes include removing pawnshops from the proposal, and allowing liquor delivery under the guidelines of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC). Another amendment allows for liquor sales and liquor off-sales during the official dates of the Ponoka Stampede.
Glen McArthur was the first and only person to speak in favour of the bylaw. “I am interested in the safety issues regarding drunk driving, plain and simple.”
He feels restricting the liquor sales and off-sales to 10 p.m. will help prevent unplanned purchases after imbibing. A person won’t have the ability to discern whether they have had too much too drink, which could be a safety risk to other motorists.
“You want to drink that’s your business. I don’t care. Where I get concerned is allowing people to drink and drive or encouraging them to go out and get another bottle rather than exercising good sense, or staying home and allowing someone to bring it to them,” said McArthur.
Mark Yaworski, owner of the Leland Hotel, spoke against the bylaw and took some time to make his point. He feels people actually might stay in the bar longer because liquor stores will be closed and they may be unaware of their condition after having alcohol.
He also feels people will buy alcohol illegally if store hours are restricted. “That will happen here as it has in Wetaskiwin.”
He suggests restricting the hours will not make the community safer, a better option is restricting the bars as well. Yaworski also questions the validity of the bylaw if during the Ponoka Stampede those limits would be lifted. However he also said the Ponoka Stampede Association needs revenue from liquor sales to host the seven-day rodeo. “The rules have to apply to everyone equally.”
“Does a one-hour difference in hours of operation make a little change in safety?” Yaworski asked.
Jim Hamilton, owner of Hammy’s Spirits, also spoke against the bylaw. He suggested to councillors that the AGLC already regulates how liquor sales should operate. He referred to how the City of Red Deer tried to deal with an issue of over-serving with a special committee. “If we think there’s a problem in Ponoka let’s be proactive and have a committee go look at it and find out if it is one establishment or multiple establishments or the whole thing.”
He suggests if a liquor store is selling liquor against AGLC guidelines then they should be reprimanded. The proposed bylaw would affect business in general in Ponoka.
Hamilton and Yaworski conducted a survey of customers at their stores seeking input on the bylaw. They received 600 combined responses against the bylaw; 277 were residents of Ponoka, 212 were from Ponoka County, 132 were from Hobbema and 20 were from elsewhere.
He feels the number of people from Hobbema and the county who are against the bylaw, who can’t vote, should be an indication of how much business could be lost from implementing the bylaw.
“I really don’t think we want to discourage business in Ponoka,” added Hamilton. “Therefore it’s not doing the Ponoka image any good.”
The meeting was adjourned right after Hamilton spoke. Henkelman said councillors will take information from the meeting and discuss the comments heard.