By Annika Graf
Questions of nightclub safety have been raised again, especially following last month’s tragedies in Chicago and Rhode Island.
In Ottawa, strict measures have been taken to ensure patrons’ safety.
Last December, a bylaw for all-night dance events came into effect.
The bylaw is aimed mostly at rave parties but is also applicable to after-hours clubnights. Promoters who organize dance events going on past 3 a.m., now need a special license that costs $180 per event.
The bylaw is to ensure the venues follow health and fire standards, and building capacity is not exceeded.
The bylaw was initiated by the Ottawa Police Service Board more than two years ago, after complaints about noise, crowds, fire and health standards as well as drug and sexual abuse at rave parties.
Louise Logue, youth intervention and diversion co-ordinator at the Ottawa Police Services, says the bylaw was requested by the police after consulting the city, fire and health departments as well as rave promoters.
Also, complaints of parents who reported their under 16-year-old children as missing triggered the city and the police to take action.
“Kids disappeared for a whole night,” says Jules Bouvier, project officer of the bylaw services.
The location of raves weren’t originally reported to the police, who had to find out where they took place.
Now, the details of all-night dance events must be identified to the police.
Most party promoters in Ottawa support the new regulation.
“We get safe, clean venues, which is great for us,” says Corey Cutting, promoter for Synergy Productions.
He hopes this bylaw will help open doors for rave parties in city-owned venues.
Roy Chartier is a promoter of rave events in Centretown and is the chairman of the Ottawa Promoters Association. He was actively involved in writing the bylaw.
“One big problem was that owners of venues turned off the taps and charged for water,” says Chartier.
This is now being rectified by new health standards in the bylaw which entitle patrons access to fresh water all night.
According to Bouvier, three events at clubs around the Byward Market were found without a proper license since December.
One party was closed down after it was found to be a fire hazard.
While promoters generally support the bylaw, some have objections to some of the provisions, especially those who organize regular after-hours club nights.
Sacha Leclair organizes parties at the Surface Nightclub on York Street.
“We are a legal nightclub. What the bylaw recommends is everything we have already,” he says. He wants a distinction made between raves and weekly after-hours nightclub events.
“It is quite ridiculous. We pay $180 every week to stay open for after-hours,” he says.
Babylon Nightclub on Bank Street hosts some rave parties. But owner Adam Kronick is not concerned with the bylaw.
“We don’t do after-hours parties. Therefore we don’t have to deal with that bylaw,” he says.
Promoters trying to find venues for all-night dance events find it difficult to pay for the insurance covering accidents and damages (up to $2 million) that is required by the bylaw.
“We pay at least $1500 for an event outside of a club,” says Cutting.
“Only when it comes to a club we fall under their insurance policy until they have secured a license for an event.”
Acoording to Cutting, bylaw fees don’t make throwing parties outside of nightclubs expensive, but onerous insurance payments do.
Another problem is that promoter are not allowed to advertise until they have secured a license for an event. “Not being able to flyer for an event can be a really big pain in the ass,” he says.
Overall, Chartier expects the bylaw to make all-night dance parties safer although it might rise the price of the tickets a little bit.