Iconic Davie Village bar set to expand
Fans of the iconic Fountainhead Pub on Davie Street can rejoice as the business is expanding its location.
Vancouver city council unanimously approved the proposal on Tuesday’s council meeting.
This decision comes after city staff initially rejected the plan, saying the application violated a policy about the distance required between establishments with liquor licences. This would have meant the Fountainhead could only expand if it operated two separate businesses.
But on Tuesday, the proposal to double the size of the pub was approved.
"We were waiting for a long time. Our staff were wondering, people in the street were wondering, the community was wondering the whole time. It's just nice to finally have it done,” said bar manager Torey Hale,
The bar is now allowed to take over its neighbouring space (1027 Davie St.)
Once the expansion is complete, it can serve 65 more people indoors and an additional 19 people in its outdoor patio.
The bar will have to follow certain conditions to ensure things like noise levels are managed.
“The requirement for a Time-Limited Development Permit, a Good Neighbour Agreement and submission of an acoustical report will provide the necessary controls to ensure the premise operates in a manner that will mitigate impacts to the neighbourhood and surrounding area,” read council’s report.
Hale said expanding such spaces is significant for the LGBTQ community.
“We lost a lot over COVID. We lost a couple bars. We cut a lot of the community presence, so it’s just kind of nice to have something to look forward to,” he said.
“Putting something here to have more gay spaces is super important,” he added.
Correction
An earlier version of this article stated that staff recommended against allowing an increased capacity due to noise level and potential for public nuisance. That was not the basis of the objection.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Lack of detention space could force CBSA to release detainees, internal memo warns
The Canada Border Services Agency is scrambling to find space to hold high-risk detainees that are set to be transferred from provincial jails in June.
BREAKING American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
BREAKING Allman Brothers Band co-founder and legendary guitarist Dickey Betts dies at 80
Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, 'Ramblin' Man,' has died. He was 80.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
Police make arrests in grandparent scam that defrauded victims out of $739K
Ontario Provincial Police say they have 'disrupted' an organized crime group that allegedly used an emergency grandparent scam to defraud seniors across Canada out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Motion to allow keffiyehs at Ontario legislature fails
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
What does it mean to be 'house poor' and how can you avoid it?
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Calgary man charged with manslaughter in death of toddler
Calgary police say Winston Campbell, 45, has been charged in the death of a two-year-old girl in 2022.
B.C. child killer's lawyer walks out of review hearing
The lawyer representing child-killer Allan Schoenborn walked out of his client's annual review hearing Wednesday – abruptly ending proceedings marked by tense exchanges and several outbursts.