Sarnia's mayor thinks the public at large should be consulted before council approves a proposed beer garden in Centennial Park.
Council is being asked to award a license to an Ontario numbered company Monday, to operate an outdoor beer garden out of a modified shipping container where the former MacLean Centre used to be.
Mike Bradley says thinks council should go with the second option, deferring the proposal and any similar ones to the Parks and Recreation master plan.
"There's a number of issues here," says Bradley. "One, the public is only finding out now that there's a proposal to put a container with a beer garden right into Centennial Park, without the ability for the public to make comments on this proposal. Nor was there any tender or proposal call. This is an unsolicited offer."
He's also worried it could be another blow to area restaurants.
"I'm very cognizant of the fact that restaurants and bars around Centennial Park, over the last three or four years, have suffered greatly because of what has happened in Centennial Park. They need time to get back on their feet," says Bradley. "They don't need competition."
The beer garden would operate as a pilot project for one season from June 1 to October 31 for $15,000, with two-year renewal option after.
"If council decides that they want to proceed with this, then there should be a fair proposal call that all could come forward and bring forward their proposals," says Bradley. "Not just dealing with one proposal in isolation."
Council is also being asked to grant the vendor a seasonal noise exemption for Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 1pm to 9pm and Sundays from noon to 6pm.
Centennial Park beer garden concept.