The District of Clearwater (DOC) is holding a public hearing next month to get opinions from residents on a proposal for a Liquor Primary License at the Trans Mountain worker camp.
The applicant, ATCO Frontec, wants to be able to serve alcohol to employees and their guests after work hours and noted there’d be no access to the general public.
The hearing takes place on July 14 at 2 p.m. in the council chambers at the Dutch Lake Community Centre.
In the proposal, the applicant said it would like to set up a lounge within the camp, which is located at 290 Road 2A FSR, with an indoor seating capacity of 130 people that would serve liquor from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. seven days a week. Provincial restrictions regarding COVID-19 would have to be followed.
Guests of employees would need pre-approval to enter the site and would have to pass through several stages of security to get to the dining area that’s set up at the camp.
“The final decision on these type of liquor license applications rests with the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch, but (the branch) won’t make a decision until local government passes a resolution that specifically considers noise impact, general community impact and considers and shows the views gathered from residents and how those views were collected,” said Alex Kraus, manager of planning services with the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, at a June 16 council meeting.
The applicant’s letter of intent said the lounge is fully contained within the main complex of the accommodation facility and there will be no noise impacts to the outdoors or surrounding community. Planning services also doesn’t anticipate noise impacts because the camp is on a large property and the property is mainly surrounded by industrial or vacant land.
The letter also said impacts on the surrounding community aren’t expected and the venue, if it gets the go-ahead, gives employees and their guests a chance to unwind after work without having to travel into town.
Any Clearwater residents who think they might be affected by the proposed Clearwater Lodge Lounge will be given the chance to voice concerns at the hearing, or alternatively, they can write a submission and give it to the DOC before the hearing.
Written submissions have to be received by the district before 4:30 p.m. on July 13. All submissions will be made public and form part of the public record on the matter.
For more information contact the DOC at 250-674-2257 or admin@docbc.ca
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