If at first you don’t succeed, ask permission yet again to serve alcohol at Perth arena.

After his plans to operate a sports bar on the premises of the Perth arena during Perth Blue Wings home games as a fundraiser for minor hockey were scuttled earlier this year, team owner Michael McLean again approached town council on Tuesday, Aug. 4, to ask permission to set up a temporary, secured tent in the arena’s parking lot, where beer and wine would be served, along with food.

The fenced-off tent, measuring 40 feet by 80 feet, would be erected for the CCHL2 junior hockey showcase being held in Perth from Friday, Sept. 11 to Sunday, Sept. 13. There will be two games on the Friday night, with games running from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

McLean also promised to post $10 million in liability insurance, and provide full-time security at the tent from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. daily. The bar would be run by a local service club, since they all have proper certification to serve alcohol. McLean stressed that other facilities like the Kilt Run, Stewart Park Festival, Garlic Festival and this month’s inaugural Ribfest were all licenced events.

As for the showcase itself, McLean promised that it would have a significant, and positive, economic impact on the town. With 16 teams coming into town, with 21 players each, he expected about 336 players to descend on Perth that weekend, accompanied by about 80 team staffers. Estimating about two parents per player, along with family members, McLean noted that as many as 672 parents alone would be in town for the weekend, as each team will hit the ice at least twice. 

“It’s huge news for Perth,” said McLean during his presentation to the committee of the whole.

He promised that the tent would be “a more secure style than a wedding tent,” and that patrons would have to be 21 or over to purchase alcohol.

He noted with great pride that these events are normally held at the Bell Sensplex and that this is the first time that they have been held at a facility with only one ice surface, and, that they are the first Ottawa Valley community to be so honoured.

The league reorganization means that Perth will now play teams it had not been able to play before, like the Westport Rideaus.

He also promised that Bryan Murray, the Ottawa Senators’ general manager, will drop the puck at 7 p.m. on Sept. 11 for the first game, and a “Hot Stove” interview segment on stage after each game, with the game’s Most Valuable Player, or a coach, carried out by the likes of Hugh Colton, by way of example.

He is also working on securing Senators’ mascot Spartacat and the Ottawa Redblacks’ mascot Big Joe to attend for the children.

“This will attract a lot of people,” said McLean. “We are asking for your trust and support.”

Coun. Jim Boldt offered his support to the proposal.

“This would be no different than Ma and Pa taking a bunch of 16-year-olds into a licensed restaurant,” said Boldt.

Coun. Jim Graff agreed with the sentiment, saying he trusted McLean.

“We are dealing with a responsible party, who is in the insurance business, who knows what a liability is,” said Graff.

However, Coun. Judy Brown expressed her continued concerns that allowing such a tent on town property would contravene bylaws forbidding the serving of alcohol at events where children are in attendance.

“We do have a bunch of restaurants downtown with liquor licenses,” she pointed out.

Brown was the only councillor to vote no to the proposal, with the motion passing four to one. It will now be considered by a special town council meeting on Friday, Aug. 7.