NO RAVES ALLOWED ON TOWN PROPERTY

Any hopes of renting out the recreation centre or any other Town property
for a rave have been dashed.

Banff's Town Council made it official Aug. 14 - no municipal property will
be rented for the all-night dance parties, which are stuck with a
drug-addled reputation.

The main concern, the Town says, is for the safety of the dancers.

"Town of Banff facilities won't be rented out for the purpose of rave-like
events, late-night dance parties that are commercial events," said Mary
Brewster, the Town's Community Services facilities and programs manager who
is responsible for booking the spaces.

"If people want to go and use private facilities that are properly zoned and
licensed for those events, they're welcome to do so," said Brewster. "Our
(goal) isn't to spoil anybody's fun. It's purely for personal safety. It
seems to me the people writing articles don't know about what ecstasy does
to your brain."

For the young party goers who regularly drive to Calgary for raves, news of
Banff's new rules is being met with disappointment.

Two Banff ravers spoke to The Banff Crag & Canyon on the condition of
anonymity. "Drug use is a big factor, to be honest," Angela admits.

"But they say people are dying from drugs. That's not a fact," she said,
contrary to statistics that claim at least 14 young Canadians have died in
relation to ecstasy within the past two years.

The 20-year-old says the rec centre would be an ideal place to hold a rave,
as it would spare sleeping residents the blaring thump of the techno music
ravers dance to until well past dawn.

Being respectful of residents' rights to a good night's sleep, Angela says
ravers are too exhausted from seven or eight hours worth of dancing to make
noise outside.

"In town they wouldn't want to have a rave because of the noise, but where
there's not a lot of people I don't see why not. I don't really see what
their argument is. The main point is that alcohol is way worse than
ecstasy."

As for the Town's new policy on renting space for those parties, Angela says
the safety concerns are unfounded.

"That's no excuse, and neither are drugs. That's not a good enough argument.
They're just pissed off at all the snowboarders and bummy kids. I think
they've gotten all wound up over nothing.

People dying from drugs... that's not a factor," she said.

"I'd like to see them not be banned, to be able to rent the rec centre. If
it's not causing anyone's ears to hurt, and it isn't in a residential area,
why not?"

Even though she goes all the way to the city for raves, it's not something
she does all the time.

"I love the scene, but I party way less. I can't stay up, I get cranky," she
said, adding she's down to going every two months instead of once or twice a
month.

Jeff, a 25-year-old who goes to raves in Canmore and Calgary and has been to
parties in Banff that aspired to be raves, says the decision to put a damper
on the parties here is unsound.

"I think these people don't know what's going on. The whole deal should be
sitting around having a discussion. It's like two armies, opposition and
having a war," he said. "I'd like to see them focus on something else rather
than trying to stop everything before it happens."

While there have only been a handful of all night dance parties held in
Banff and Canmore in the past three years, promoters are interested in
tapping into the Valley.

Recently, the Town has been approached by two Canmore promoters hoping to
cash in on the events. They left business cards on Brewster's desk last
week.

"No doubt they want to see if there's a way to convince us there is a way to
put on a safe event," said Brewster.

"Our understanding just here in our department is that there are parties and
events going on in the community in private facilities and private homes and
out in the bush. And Parks is aware there is an issue, they've always had to
deal with it."

Raves also raise political concerns. Town councillor Bob Haney has said the
events fly in the face of appropriate use.

Even though Calgary has just added new bylaws to its party rules, a rave
last week went off without a hitch.

"Banff is not in a situation like Calgary because it would go underground.
In Banff, that's not the case," said Haney.

Plans are in the works to have guest speakers visit Banff's senior and
junior high to talk to parents and students about the dangers of drug use
and the rave scene.

"Just reading about this stuff maybe it will be a bit of an education for
them. These events aren't just harmless although a lot of people say that
they are. Maybe it will click if their kids end up going to Calgary for a
rave.

One of the speakers organizers are trying to secure is a "walking talking
example of a kid who snowed his parents majorly. It took him three years to
get off coke and heroin, and he started with ecstasy," said Brewster.

"I know people say kids are kids and kids will experiment but the rules are
really different now.