The City of Kamloops has tentatively given its approval for a new liquor licence for the Effie Arts Collective.

It will only be in effect on event days, and would mean staff at the North Kamloops facility won’t have to apply for special event permits for each event they host.

Aaron Shufletoski with the Effie Arts Collective told City Council that the public consultation they’ve done to this point has been positive. He said they’ve got 69 letters of support which “says the same thing over and over again that this is a great thing for the community.”

“We’re just here to support the arts,” Shufletoski said. “We’re not trying to set up a nightclub of any sorts. We are just providing a venue for arts performances and this is just a way to get revenue as well.”

He says the one letter of “concern” was from Interior Health, noting that was the health authority conducting its due diligence.

“We have not really encountered anyone in opposition, so we really look forward to support,” he said.

Shufletoski previously told Council that the Effie Arts Collective – at 422 Tranquille Road – regularly hosts open mic nights, as well as stand up comedy shows and burlesque shows.

“I remember a few years ago in memory of Drew McLean who started this stage show and was looking at the renovations and his vision. It’s nice to see the vision is still being carried on,” Councillor Bill Sarai said Tuesday. “That is something he’d be very proud of.”

“It’s just something that tweaked my mind. I remember the phone calls and the passion he was speaking about providing something in our city that wasn’t there to make it more vibrant. I just wanted to thank you to carry that forward.”

The City’s Development and Engineering Director, Marvin Kwiatkowski told earlier this month that the RCMP have not raised any issues with the single event liquor licences that have been granted to the Effie in the past. He also noted that the facility will be capped at 130 people, and that it will be operational between 11 a.m. and 1 a.m. Monday to Sunday.

“There have been numerous letters of support that have come in and the North Shore Business Improvement Association is also in strong support,” Kwiatkowski said.

This new liquor licence application will need to be approved by the BC Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch.