Lloyd Peterson isn’t giving up his fight to keep a music and entertainment venue out of his neighborhood. Peterson, a resident of The Madison Apartments on Ellis Street, was an outspoken opponent of the adjacent Revelry. After the city council upheld a master liquor application Tuesday over his objections, Peterson is threatening legal action to overturn that decision. While the council approved the primary liquor license, the final authority to approve any license rests solely with the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch. She has started a GoFundMe campaign in hopes of raising $25,000 for a legal challenge to stop Revelry. Peterson claims Revelry is nothing more than a nightclub that will bring problems common to clubs on Lawrence and Leon avenues in his neighborhood. Problems such as noise, poisoning and urination. He worries what will happen when up to 685 people who have been drinking all night take to the streets at 1am. Peterson criticized the council for its “lack of due diligence and disregard for a property owner’s ‘right to the quiet enjoyment’ of their homes”. It says the decision should be overturned due to possible “negligence, breach of fiduciary duty of mayor and council and failure to follow due process among other issues.” Peterson and Revelry owner Lee Simon disagree about what Revelry is. While Peterson refers to it as a nightclub, Simon calls it a music and entertainment venue. Simon says the venue is unique in that it will be open all day as a cafe available for meetings and presentations with a full kitchen and drinks service and will provide the opportunity for live music on some evenings. He also says the focus of the evening shows will be more on food than alcohol. Supporting the project, Coun. Luke Stack said this week the operation is a perfect fit for the neighborhood. “I think most people realize that this is a very active and vibrant area and it seems to attract a lot of residential homes,” Stack said. “I think that enhances our Cultural District and probably some of the reasons we’re seeing some of the residential building coming into the area to enjoy it.” There is no indication when the provincial LCRB will rule on Revelry’s liquor license application.
