Patricia Woodward never misses an opportunity to get a slice of pizza from her favorite place in town, Sauce.
However, businesses like this one are suffering in the town of Cardston, as it remains under a prohibition law, preventing any establishments from selling liquor.
“I don’t know if it’s hurt the town of Cardston. But I don’t think it’s helped either,” said Woodward , who is part of the Cardston Citizens for Positive Progress. The group is challenging the town’s prohibition law set in place by the provincial government over a century ago.
“People are still afraid of lifting it. The fear is what’s governing the decision. They’re afraid of they effect of alcohol. They’re afraid of losing their values.”
On October 6, a plebiscite could see a change in some of the town’s long held beliefs. The vote will address whether sports facilities should be rented on Sunday’s, if fluoride should be allowed in the drinking water and perhaps raising the most eye-brows whether the provincial prohibition law should be removed to allow for the sale of liquor.
Mayor Maggie Kronen explained this is just a small piece to a much larger puzzle.“They want to be sure to have council’s support, town support through a plebiscite, none binding and they also want to know what surrounding communities feel and think about it. So it is not a done deal, by a long shot,” she said.
Barbra Fox owns a western wear store in Cardston and doesn’t see a reason why the law should be lifted. “I don’t feel that I would see an increase in business or tourism from having alcohol sales in town,” she said.
“As a small town, we still have our problems. We have our law enforcement problem. We have our problems with street people. This isn’t going to go away and it’s only going to get worse with alcohol.”
For Woodward, she feels it comes down freedom of choice. “I don’t think that it’s a community’s right to restrict others in choosing what they want to consume and what they don’t,” she said.
Comments