Kelowna

One Kelowna City Councillor has a radical solution to Kelowna's downtown bar flush.

Reduce the hours nightclubs can remain open.

Speaking to RCMP Superintendent, Bill McKinnon, during his monthly address to Council, City Councillor, Carol Gran asked if a City and RCMP had ever joined together to reduce bar hours?

Gran asked the question in response to a statement by McKinnon that one nightclub was not participating in talks aimed at coming up with a solution to the bar flush.

"Eleven o'clock sounds good to me," says Gran. If it's difficult to get their attention, that's certainly one way to do it."

McKinnon responded it was one possible solution.

He says police are looking at different ways of solving the problem.

"We're looking for the best practices out there. Everything from how Calgary dealt with it to Victoria, Vancouver and as far as Newfoundland," says McKinnon.

"We're looking for what is the best practice out there. We don't need to re-invent the wheel, but it's an issue everywhere."

McKinnon wouldn't identify the club owner who is not participating in talks with police, but says that issue is a concern to him.

Gran says the hours of operation are a part of the problem and reducing them would change the situation.

"Unfortunately it's become a spectacle of wait and see what is going to happen," added McKinnon.

"We're still dealing with the same issues of lack of transportation and getting everybody out of there."

Councillor, Barrie Clark says he is concerned that a nightclub is not cooperating with efforts to deal with the bar flush.

"We went through that a couple of years ago and my suggestion is the same," says Clark.

"Councillor Gran has one suggestion, mine is to summon the operators to this council to show cause why their license should not be suspended. If you want that action taken, I'd be the first to propose it."

McKinnon says initiatives such as staggered closing times and even changing the type of music being played did not change the situation downtown.

Council has asked to be updated on the prospect of having more taxi cabs in the downtown area in the next few weeks.

Link: Bar Flush Solutions