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
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.