Christine Kay
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Aug 19/02) - Erle Deschene, provincial co-ordinator for Slo-Pitch National/Nunavut, has won the approval of Iqaluit city council to hold another beer garden. But the vote wasn't unanimous.

Coun. Glenn Williams was not happy with the decision, especially considering the beer garden will go forward on a Sunday.

"I just don't think it's right. If it's such a good cause why don't we have a beer garden 24 hours a day? Even major league baseball doesn't serve beer 24 hours a day to support what they're doing," said Williams.

Deschene proposed holding the beer garden from Friday Aug. 30 to Monday Sept. 2.

Although the dates for the beer gardens were acceptable to most of council, the hours proposed were not.

Deschene had hoped to start selling beer at 11 a.m. on all four days, except Friday when sales would start at 6 p.m.

Council set new times of 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. for Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Williams was concerned with recent outbreaks of violence in the city and their connection to alcohol. He asked how holding a beer garden would help the situation.

"What kind of incidents are we wanting to happen? Are we waiting for someone to get stabbed or come out of a coma and die?" asked Williams in council.

But other councillors and bylaw department supervisor Travise Dow said there were no violent outbreaks connected to the previous beer gardens held in July.

The money raised from the beer gardens will help cover travel costs for Nunavut teams and a new baseball diamond in Iqaluit.

A slo-pitch tournament will be held in conjunction with the beer gardens behind the federal field. The area where alcohol is sold will be fenced in.