By a 7-2 count, Coast Inn of the North won city council's support Monday night to convert what was once Sergeant O'Flaherty's pub into a liquor store, overcoming opposition from three groups in the process.
Representatives of the Downtown Business Improvement Association and Prince George Public Library spoke against the proposal during a hearing on the issue, while the Nezul Be Hunuyeh Child and Family Services Society wrote a letter of concern.
During a hearing on the issue, DBIA president Hugh Nicholson voiced concerns that a liquor store opening in the downtown area will bring old problems back to the surface.
"Having a liquor store open while we are in the process of recovery, if you will, would only interfere with our efforts to clean up the downtown area," said Nicholson.
The DBIA is not opposed to a business working to improve themselves, but a liquor store may encourage similar problems as to when the Prince George Hotel's cold beer and wine store was open.
Public library chief librarian Allan Wilson said the Coast Inn has been a great neighbour but dealing with intoxicated vagrants has been an ongoing problem for the main branch.
"We have about 800 to 1,200 incidents a year," he said. "About 30 to 35 per cent of those involve intoxication," said Wilson.
Located at the corner of Ninth and Brunswick, Nezul Be Hunuyeh Child and Family Services Society was worried about the possible fall-out. "Panhandling will increase out front of our doors," said finance and officer manager Crystal Hicks in the letter. "Opening this liquor retail will create a more serious issue with alcohol abuse amongst our families due to easier access.
"As it is, we are already finding vomit around doors of our business."
Coast Inn manager Doug Andrews told council steps will be taken to contain such trouble, such as increasing security, removing alcoves from the entry area and making it brighter with additional lighting and repainting.
And he stressed the store will deal in higher-end, more-expensive brands.
"We understand there are concerns around attracting undesirables into the downtown area," Andrews said. "We will ensure all our actions will ensure this problem will not persist."
Mayor Dan Rogers and Coun. Debora Munoz voted against the proposal.
In an interview Tuesday, Rogers said he would have preferred opening of a new nightspot at the location that would bring people downtown, instead of just having them buy something and leave.
Munoz said the proximity to the family-oriented art gallery, library, Four Seasons pool and the Civic Centre make it the wrong location. When there was a liquor store in the now-closed Prince George Hotel, there was a lot of panhandling along George Street, she added.
Coun. Murry Krause, who counted himself among the supporters, said that while he was lukewarm to the idea, Coast Inn has a reputation for well-run operations.
"It's really all in how it's managed," Krause said.
Coast Inn received a three-year temporary commercial use permit which means it will be up for review by council by Nov. 2013. It will take at least six months before the new store is up and running, council was told.
