A group of longtime chess enthusiasts, who had been playing at Park Royal mall in West Vancouver for 50 years, will be staying there after all.
A letter from mall administration had told the chess fans they were no longer welcome at the mall. However, an agreement has been reached that will allow the group to stay.
A new location has been chosen that can accommodate about 28 players at a time.
Players used to meet at the mall’s food court before they were asked to leave earlier this month.
The group was told that refusing to comply would have resulted in the mall contacting West Vancouver Police.
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Terry Fellows, a longtime player at the mall, said in a statement he was happy they got to work closely with Park Royal to reach the new agreement.
“This is about more than playing a game, it’s about a location to socialize and build community amongst friends, new and old.”
Park Royal and the players will also be hosting a joint community chess event at the mall this year.
“We are glad we have been able to keep a long-standing tradition going,” said Karen Donald, general manager of Park Royal.