April 5, 2002
Remember the teenagers, arcade owner says
Pinball wizards at Iqaluits
arcade might have to wait a little longer before they can play into the late
hours of the night.
The Players Arcade has
applied to keep its doors open later on the weekends, but city council has yet
to make a final decision on that request.
Right now, under the City
of Iqaluits Business Bylaw, arcades have to shut down at midnight each
night.
Andrew Riendeau, owner
of the arcade, requested that the council amend the bylaw so that he can extend
his hours until 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. His arcade,
which opened in October, has pool tables, pinball machines, an air hockey game,
and is smoke-free.
On April 2, the city held
a public meeting to hear if residents had any concerns about extending the arcades
hours.
Riendeau made a brief presentation
to council. "When you make your decision, I want you guys to remember all
the teenagers out there. What Im asking for isnt too much. Were
a big city now. Weve got to change with the times," he said.
Only one resident attended
the meeting. Mike Hine, who has two teenagers, said theres an obvious
demand in Iqaluit for recreational centres.
But some councillors wanted
to get more feedback from residents before making a final decision. "The
public hasnt raised any concerns about this issue. Im surprised
that more of the public didnt talk about this," said Councillor Keith
Irving.
Staff sergeant Mike Jeffrey,
who attended the meeting, said the RCMP could help out. Jeffrey said officers
can look at their files to see if theres been any increase in crime in
the area of the arcade since it opened.
The council will discuss
the arcade issue again at its next meeting.
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