Some patrons had to wait outside Vancouver’s Ultimate Dance Club in Langley for two hours on Saturday (March 19) before they were admitted to the official opening of the teen dance club on Eastleigh Crescent.
That’s according to comments posted on the Facebook page of the new dance club for 14 to 18-year-olds.
Some who posted messages estimated about 700 teens showed up for the event at the club, which is only allowed to have 500 people inside at a time.
The club operators posted an apology to those who weren’t able to get inside. “We were full again and due to the Cities [sic] capacity bylaws as we can only let so many people in,” the Facebook message read.
The Times has learned the club operators have approached the City of Langley to see about boosting their allowed capacity from 500 to 800.
That would still be fewer people than the 1,000 the building was allowed when it was the Langley Legion.
No formal application has been made yet and it’s likely the operators would have to add more bathrooms and entrances and exits to get the increase.
The club owners did not respond to Times queries about the proposal.
Langley RCMP report there was one noise complaint over the weekend about the club and one incident involving two intoxicated teens who were arrested for creating a disturbance.
During an earlier interview about noise complaints from nearby residents during the weekends leading up to the official opening, club owner James Thom said he has been in contact with some of the area residents whose grievances include loud bass from the dance music, as well as vandalism, pot smoking and public drunkenness among the club’s under-age patrons.
Thom said he has walked the area with his sound man while the music was playing, and using a decibel meter, determined the levels were within legal limits.
However, he said he would reduce the bass, which is the part of the music that carries farthest.
“We may address some inside soundproofing, too,” he added.
“I wouldn’t want music blasting if I lived in the area.”
In an effort to reduce problems outside the club, Thom has already instituted a policy that does not allow teens to come and go once they’ve paid their cover and entered the building, he said.
While some teens have complained that means they can’t go out for a cigarette, Thom has no plans to designate a smoking area for his patrons, who are too young to buy cigarettes legally.
Thom can be contacted by email at vancouversdanceclub@gmail.com or by phone at 778-278-2582.
– with files from Brenda Anderson