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Former Vancouver NPA councillor Lynne Kennedy will never forget the chaos on Robson Street during the 1994 Stanley Cup riot. In a phone interview with the Georgia Straight, she said “alcohol fuelled the atmosphere”, which culminated in hundreds of police officers clashing with hooligans throughout the night.

Contrast that with the “family atmosphere” of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Kennedy continued, and it is clear that the Vancouver Police Department was doing something right during the Games. She said one strategy that proved effective in maintaining public order this past February was the early closure of liquor stores and shops selling beer and wine.

Located in the downtown core are six provincial liquor stores and many more private shops. Dylan Palmer, a manager at Crosstown Liquor on Abbot Street, told the Straight that he estimated a 30-percent loss in revenue for each day the VPD had his store close early. But Palmer was quick to note that although the closures were bad for business, they were good for public safety.

He said he doesn’t expect closures during the playoffs, and explained that for Canucks games, people buy their booze before the puck is dropped. During the Olympics, it was different, Palmer continued, with people purchasing alcohol at all times of the day.

Seema Talwar, a manager at Jimmy’s Cold Beer and Wine on Robson Street, told the Straight that the VPD’s closures also cost her store “quite a bit” of money. She said that although there are issues of public safety involved with the sale of liquor, it was her impression that people were well-behaved during the Olympics.

“We are grownups,” Talwar remarked. “I think we can handle this [the sale of alcohol during major events].”

She also noted that some of her staff could be living paycheque-to-paycheque, and expressed concern that more closures could hurt people’s livelihoods.

VPD media spokesperson Const. Lindsey Houghton said that before a closure is recommended, a complicated set of factors is weighed by a number of officers. After this has occurred, VPD chief Jim Chu makes a final decision.

“It is not one person sitting down and deciding on a whim,” Houghton said. “We know that it is a bit of an imposition on businesses because, essentially, what we are doing is asking the GM of the LCLB to consider closing a business.”

Houghton maintained that a recommendation of early liquor-store closures is a last option for the VPD.

Representatives of the Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal police departments told the Straight that they couldn’t recall their agencies ever requesting early closure of liquor stores for major events.

How do you feel about the VPD warning of early liquor-store closures during the hockey playoffs? Ashley Fehr

Director of operations, Kwantlen Student Association “I think they’re kind of treating the people like children.”¦People will just get more alcohol earlier or they’ll make sure they’re drinking at home, but I don’t think it really slows down any of the problems that they are seeing. During the Olympics it might have helped, given that there were so many tourists in town, but when it comes to people who live in the area, they already have it on hand.” Gerald Thomas

Senior policy and research analyst, Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse “I’m happy they have a tool that they can use when they think they need it. I trust the police to be able to determine when that’s got to happen, right? On the other hand, it kind of bothers me that people aren’t responsible enough with their freedoms to keep themselves in check, and we have to have another rule.” Raymond Louie

Vision Vancouver city councillor “I think it’s important that the message be put out to the public that public consumption of alcohol should not happen and that everyone should have a good time during this playoff run in a responsible fashion. If we act responsibly, we can recreate the fun and inspiring feeling we experienced during our Olympic Games, and I hope that everyone will agree with that.” Lynne Kennedy

Former NPA councillor, ex–Vancouver police board member, former chair of Vancouver liquor licensing commission “It’s worth a try. I think back to the riot—the [1994] Stanley Cup riot—part of that was fuelled by anger and possibly, you know, alcohol sales.”¦I think it’s probably a good policy. People liked the city during the Olympics. They loved the family atmosphere. They loved that. It was kind of like,”˜Take back the downtown.’ I think that was a good thing.”

You can follow Travis Lupick on Twitter at twitter.com/tlupick.

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