Town Council Rejects Plea To Delay Beer Bottle Ban
Thursday, August 18, 2005 at 14:22
La Ronge will have a proposed beer bottle ban implemented as scheduled, despite a recent protest by several local businesses.
The La Ronge and District Chamber of Commerce presented research findings to the town council last night with the hope of delaying the implementation date of the ban by nine months.
Chamber representatives Marilyn Scott and Brad Fenning told the mayor and councillors that delaying the measure would allow time to further research the impact the ban would have on the local economy.
Scott and Fennig represented 19 businesses who feel they will be directly or indirectly affected if the ban on the sale of beer in glass bottles is put in place as planned.
Specifically, they fear the loss of business to outside communities.
The town council was presented with 19 letters of “non-support” for the ban and was asked to come up with alternatives.
The town council ended up rejecting that request, citing several reasons to continue as planned. Those arguments included need to reduce the number of assaults with beer bottles in recent years, the negative effect the substantial litter problem is having on tourism and the numerous medical calls for cuts due to broken glass.
As well, council members noted the public seemed to be in favour of the ban.
The ban on the sale of beer in glass bottles will go into effect in La Ronge on September 1st.