Elliot Lake music promoter Corey McKenzie was undoubtedly the happiest man in the city this afternoon. After months of planning his Atomic Music Fest – a three day summer heavy metal music festival – he finally got final approval to use Mount Dufour Ski Hill from Aug. 9 through 11 as his venue. It happened at a special meeting of Elliot Lake City Council held today at noon. McKenzie survived the arduous process of numerous appearances before Elliot Lake City Council beginning last year where he provided civic leaders and various boards and agencies with details of his plans for the show.
Several councillors, including Mayor Dan Marchisella, congratulated McKenzie for the quality of his detailed application. The mayor said, "It is the most detailed plan I have seen for any event we have held in Elliot Lake."
In the end, Council voted six to one to approve the event and grant it Significant Municipal Event status that was required for approval by the AGCO, the body that gives the go-ahead for liquor permits for such events. The lone dissenting vote on council was cast by Councillor Chris Patrie who participated in the debate remotely via a telephone link.
Mr. Patrie insisted that even with a guarantee of $5 million in liability insurance, it will ultimately be the City of Elliot Lake's responsibility if anything goes wrong. But there was no appetite among his fellow councillors for an amendment calling for a three-way agreement involving McKenzie's AstroRabbit Entertainment, the City and city-owned Mount Dufour Ski Hill. Mr. Patrie also wanted a "no camping" provision in the agreement for the Mount Dufour site even though ski hill managing director David Brunet has approved a strict limit of 100 on-site camping spaces, contingent on a guarantee of 24-hour security services. Mr. Patrie said RVs and tents should not be set up on the hill. Having toured the site, Mayor Marchisella explained all the camping spots are on level ground. He said that an adjacent ditch area will be off limits, in his words,"Covered off."
Looking past the Atomic Music Fest specifically, Councillor Luc Cyr said he was was concerned about future negotiations with other private business people or groups who might want to use a city facility in the future, Mount Dufour in particular. He said the arrangement involving the City, as Mount Dufour's landowner, the key non-profit partner Mount Dufour Ski Hill which owns the Ski Hill's assets and Mr.McKenzie's company AstroRabbit Entertainment, seemed to put Elliot Lake "in the middle.” He said it is not a position he felt comfortable with. Citing the annual Uranium Days Street dance, Mr. Cyr observed the City doesn't insist on knowing where people stay to sleep when they come to attend the street dance. He added, "This is leaving a bad taste in my mouth." Councillor Cyr called on council to establish city policy in that area of governance.
There was a concern from Councillor Norman Mann about the possibility some concert goes might decide to camp on crown land. He also felt lighting at the Ski Hill needed to be upgraded for the Atomic Music Fest. Councillor Sandy Finamore said everyone knows Elliot Lake is short of hotel space and she wanted to be assured that groups of people wouldn't be wandering around town after the show ended at midnight Friday and Saturday nights with nowhere to stay. Mayor Marchisella said McKenzie has provided a full list of available local lodging with his literature on the show.
What turned the tide in favour of Council approval, along with his determination, was McKenzie's decision to lower the number of tickets sold to 2,000(1,000 fewer than previously planned), his agreement to provide shuttle bus service from the concert after the performances to make sure everyone gets home safely, and his assurances that all health and safety, emergency services, security, sanitation, and food/refreshment needs have been considered and satisfied. The smaller crowd size also decreases security needs. Previously, Elliot Lake Council granted his request for festival immunity from the Elliot Lake City noise bylaw.
Tickets remain on sale for the show at the AstroRabbit Entertainment website. The event features 16 bands and acts performing starting Friday night, running all-day Saturday, and part of Sunday. In the citizen question period that followed the main council debate, a candidate that ran for Elliot Lake Council last year, Mike Thomas, asked for and received assurances of full city support and promotion of the festival, now that it has received council's blessing.