CORNER BROOK — Devon Reid says he was just trying to come up with an idea that would give him and some friends to a warm place to hang out and have some fun on the weekend.
Little did he know his plan would draw the close attention of the City of Corner Brook’s municipal police.
The 16-year-old son of Rick and Patty Reid had asked his parents if he and his friends could use the vacant basement of a former spa Patty had operated until it closed last May.
The Reids said they had no problem letting them use the property located at 119 Humber Rd.
Devon said he got the idea after reading a recent article in The Western Star about teenagers in Deer Lake having nothing to do and how those idle hands tend to sometimes turn to delinquency.
“There’s not much to do as a teenager in Corner Brook,” said Devon. “You can’t go anywhere except walk around the streets and that just leads to getting in trouble.
“I figured it would be nice to get some of my friends together so we didn’t have to be out on the streets anymore being cold and we could come in and use this empty space.”
The problem for the Reids arose when Devon took it upon himself to create and distribute a flyer advertising the hangout. He promoted it as a “teen club” and even gave it a name: “Vibe.”
The flyer listed hours of operation and that it would be open “every Saturday night.” It also listed some of the recreational activities that would be available.
Earlier this year, the City of Corner Brook charged the owners of a local nightclub who held teenage dances without obtaining the proper permit from the city. Those club operators were also charged with not abiding by an order issued by the city that they not host such events without permission.
They were both eventually convicted and fined.
In the time between those charges being laid and the subsequent convictions, the city adopted new regulations regarding the operation of teenage dance halls.
So, when the municipal authorities got wind of the flyers posted around town by Reid, they investigated and told the Reids they would need a permit to have a teen club at the property.
“My husband and I have both run businesses,” said Patty. “We know the protocol that applies when you open a business. I can see how the city perceived this as being one, but we had no intention at all of this being operated as a business. We were just thinking how we have this space that is not being used right now, so why not let Devon and some of his friends come here and play ping pong and hang out?”
Reid and she and her husband both planned to be on the property whenever Devon was there with his friends.
Despite assuring the city there was no intention of them operating the facility as a teen club as the flyer had stated, the Reids were served with an order from the city the following day. The document, like the one which the convicted club operators had defied, essentially warned them not to have an event without a permit and listed the possible penalties for violating city regulations.
“You can imagine our shock upon receiving such documents after having a very clear conversation with the building inspector that we were not pursuing to open a business,” said Patty.
Devon did invite his friends to the property this past Saturday night and they were supervised by his parents. Reid said her husband was prepared to turn away anyone who showed up just because they saw the flyer, but the only people who did come by were known friends who Devon had invited.
Also keeping a watchful eye that night were the municipal police. Reid said some of Devon’s friends were approached by the officers after they had left and were asked if they had paid money to get in, how many people were inside and if anything was being sold there.
Paul Barnable, the City of Corner Brook’s director of community services, said the flyer does appear to advertise a business and the city was just doing its job to ensure no regulations were being violated.
The city police were satisfied that what took place at the property Saturday night was not a business venture and was more of a private party attended by a small group of teenagers.
“We have not laid any charges, nor do we intend to, provided they comply with the order that was issued and it appears that they did,” said Barnable. “There’s been no real legal action taken, other than to let them know it is illegal to have (a teen club without a permit).”
" Why is it that Corner Brook is very limited in places for kids to go?".... Wrong question. Why is it that providing somewhere for kids to go should be even considered? Get off your arse and do sometihng for yourselves. This is a major symptom and root cause of why Corner Brook in genral is in such a downward spiral ---- the adults don't even think this way. And now it's been completely imprinted on local youth. Great...very productive lives await.