A wine and a show. At the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre, that will be possible after the Revelstoke Board of Education agreed to allow alcohol to be served at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre, but only under certain strict conditions.
At a meeting of the school board last week, a divided board voted to amend its policy banning alcohol in schools, but only under certain conditions.
What those conditions will be is still to be determined, but a report presented to the school board gives an idea.
The report by theatre manager Miriam Manley makes the case for allowing alcohol at the theatre. She wrote that the theatre was losing bookings because of the inability to serve alcohol at shows. She cited the Banff Mountain Film Festival and the Snowed In Comedy Tour as two events that would have booked at the theatre if they could sell alcohol.
Manley estimated the theatre loses one booking each month due to the alcohol restrictions, costing the theatre about $3,600 in income.
Her report set out guidelines for the serving of alcohol:
— No alcohol could be served before 7 p.m.
— A senior staff person at Revelstoke Secondary School would need to sign off on an event where alcohol is served in order to prevent students from being in the foyer
— The Revelstoke Arts Council would be responsible for licensing
— There would be a roped-off area for drinking
— Only ticket-holders could buy drinks
— Drinks could only be served 30 minutes before a show and during intermissions
— A designated driver program would have to be implemented.
Board members were asked to vote if the district should amend it’s no-alcohol policy.
Trustee Mauro Morrone was the only one to outright oppose serving alcohol on school property, saying he couldn’t see any educational enhancement from changing the policy.
“I acknowledge the criteria put forth to control the conditions to minimize alcohol exposure, but in my opinion the only true and most responsible way is to prevent alcohol from being allowed and served on school property,” he said.
Bryan Dubasov said he wasn’t opposed, as long as there are conditions.
Elmer Rorstad said he was in the “middle-of-the-road” on the issue.
Both Jeff Nicholson and Alan Chell agreed to amend the policy, saying the board has to take the interests of the community in mind.
“We received $3 million for the theatre as a Neighbourhood Learning Centre program which was designed to be an integration between the school and the community,” said Chell. “I think what they’re asking for is a fairly minor request in that its limited to a short period before a show, a short intermission and not at all after the show.”
In the end, the board voted to amend the district’s no-alcohol policy and asked superintendent Mike Hooker to formulate an official policy amendment for it to consider.
