Ulp! Is that the mayor?

Publication title: Edmonton Journal
Pages: B1 / FRONT

Section: City
Publication date: Aug 12, 2002
Copyright: Copyright Southam Publications Inc. Aug 12, 2002

Author: Pedersen, Rick

Nightclub patrons could hardly believe their glassy eyes early Sunday morning when they spotted a familiar figure cruising the all- night parties at downtown hot spots.

"It was Mayor Bill Smith," said one man at 8 a.m. Sunday as he headed home from his late-nighter at Climax Night Club.

"I don't know what he was doing," the man said.

Smith said he visited five or six clubs as part of an ongoing effort to keep his finger on the pulse of the city.

This is the second time he has spent most of the night on patrol with two uniformed city police officers.

The mayor was out from 11 p.m. Saturday night to 4:30 a.m. Sunday. He plans a third fact-finding foray before city council reconsiders last year's bylaw change intended to curb drug abuse and noise problems at all-night raves.

Two fights broke up as soon as the combatants heard the police were on the way, Smith said, and one suspected drug dealer found out the hard way you can't escape the long legs of the law.

"He was speedy," the mayor said, praising the beat officer who ran the suspect down within a block and a half.

Last summer, city council was inundated with complaints about all-night raves, now commonly referred to as "parties." Neighbours complained about the noise. Reports indicated illegal drug use was a problem. Teens as young as 14 were thought to be at risk and council changed the rules so nobody younger than 16 could take part.

Smith still has concerns although he saw that clubs are trying to reduce noise and are making an effort to keep out illegal drugs. They are also checking identification to make sure teens under the age of 16 no longer attend the parties.

"I saw an older crowd," he said, and complaints from the public are down.

Smith has not decided if the bylaw needs to be tougher.

Coun. Allan Bolstad, who didn't hit the club circuit this weekend, agreed the number of complaints is down sharply from last year.

He said the club operators still in business are doing a better job.

"The fly-by-nighters seem to have given up the ghost," Bolstad said. "It looks like we've made significant progress."