While Toronto's island residents are applauding the precedent-setting decision to revoke the liquor licence of the waterfront Docks nightclub, people in other parts of the city worry it will only make their noise problems worse.
 
"For us, this is a bit of a bittersweet thing," said Donald Rodbard, co-founder of the King-Spadina Residents' Association.

Members of the association are cautiously optimistic about the decision by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, which marks the first time it has cancelled a liquor licence due to noise complaints.

It sets a precedent, but the association worries it could simply lead to more noisy nightspots in other areas of the city.

"We are happy that the Docks people were successful, but … there will be an awful lot of customers looking for a new place to party and they will come here," said Rodbard.

With a liquor licence comes responsibility

For years, residents on the Ward and Algonquin islands have complained of the throbbing, pulsating music that travelled across less than one kilometre of water between them and the large entertainment complex.

At the height of summer, the club was often packed with thousands of people, serving as many as 30,000 patrons a week.

A City of Toronto spokeswoman said no matter how popular they are, businesses with liquor licences have an obligation to keep the peace.

"We really wanted to have a thriving business that was working within the boundaries of the law," Dawne Jubb said. "That just was not occurring here.

"With the right to hold a liquor licence comes responsibility to be a law-abiding corporation and a good corporate neighbour."

Pay attention to Docks decision, mayor warns

Mayor David Miller echoed that statement, saying nightclubs across the city should pay attention to the Docks decision.

While the vast majority of businesses honour the city's noise bylaw, Miller says the Docks had a consistent pattern of breaking it. He said all licenced establishments should be trying to get along with their neighbours.

Better enforcement of noise bylaws is an issue that city council will consider later this week.

Docks lawyer Nicholas Macos filed an appeal of the decision in Ontario's Divisional Court, and is also seeking a stay of the decision to allow it to serve alcohol until a final decision is reached.

The application for the stay will be heard Friday.

Meanwhile, the Docks is open but dry.

If a temporary liquor permit is not allowed, Macos said the club will be forced to close because of lost revenue during one of its busiest times of the year.