MEMORANDUM : AUG 28 1978
TO: _ Mayor and Council . August 26th, 1978

FROM: Alderman E.W. Mabbett

Further to our discussions at the last Council meeting in regard to the
licensing of the old theatre building to a Teen Disco.

In fairness to the Community as a whole, the holding in abeyance of dealing
with this problem has been beneficial. We now have the Recreation Director's
report, the R.C.M.P. Inspector's report; personal reviewing and discussions
with owner operators of discos in other communities, by seme members of Council
including myself. Also a considerable amount of Community input.

There is no doubt as a result of the reports and discussions there is a lot
to be said both for and against this type of an operation in the downtown area.

On the affirmative side ~

1. Bus transportation is good.
2. Helps occupy teenagers time and kecps them off the streets.

3. Has some good social amenities.
4. Helps to get them involved in community fund raising by contests, etc.

On the regative side -

1. By all reports and interviews with owners in other cities the location
across from the liquor outlet (Golden Ears) is very bad.

2. The downtown area needs all the help it can get to keep it a viable
business area and requires, stores, offices, etc., and not large groups
of teenagers milling around the streets.

The type of building this is-with little or no sound barriers where

the decibel readings on the average disco runs close to 99 D.B. will be
unbearable for the next door businesses and also for the residents
directly behind; also unless a great deal: of ventilation is added, the
doors will have to be left open adding to the noise problem. We will be
faced with invoking the noise bylaw.

According to other operators, parking is a must, also on the busy nites,
it must have a permanent outside security person. Do we want security
police or (even dogs as we have had in the past at the rec. centre) parading
around the main business section of PoCo?

Our past experiences have not been very good, and our present operation
for teens at the Rec. Centre requires a far greater number of supervisors
than these people seem to be prepared to hire.

It no doubt will be said that some of the members of Council are against young
people. This is far from true. We have increased our recreational budgets
every year in order to meet all age group needs in recreation. We are close
to two million dollars in this regard for the year 1978.