Tiny brewery proposed

Steve Gale appeared before Radium council on Wednesday, January 8th to pitch his idea to open a micro-brewery or nano-brewery in the village, where he would make around 600 litres of beer a week.

Most business owners can get their licenses and get right to work, but – since Gale’s idea isn’t one that fits within the village’s permitted uses – staff advised him to check in with council and gauge their interest before getting more invested.

Gale, who is from Australia, said he started making beer “to save money or as a science experiment.” As his beer got better, his intentions became more altruistic.

“I really want a way that I can get involved in the community … (and) try to create something for locals and for the town of Radium,” he said.

Gale wants to serve beer – not food, unless you count popcorn – and to offer board games, darts and card games for those who pop by.

“If people want to bring food in, grab a pizza and bring it in,” he said, adding he’d like his customers to support other local businesses too.

Mayor Clara Reinhardt thanked Gale for his interest in investing in the community, but said she would need to know more about the water the mini-brewery would use before she could give her blessing.

“We have some of the best water anywhere, arguably,” she said, adding she would like his business plan to include “how you manage our very valuable resource.”

Mark Read, chief administrative officer for the community, said Radium is already “having capacity issues at peak periods in the summer,” that breweries have “very negative impacts” on wastewater treatment systems, and that Gale’s plans for water use will be a key factor in his proposal.

Gale responded that he is used to water rationing and plans to use water-saving methods like using water twice – first for cooling and second for brewing.

Council also raised concerns about the smell associated with breweries, although Gale said the odour would only be strong for 45 minutes to an hour per batch and that he doesn’t intend to make a great deal of beer.

“We don’t want to have to get bigger,” he said. “We want something small where you only find this in Radium.”

As he wrapped up his pitch, Reinhardt told Gale that she would like him to identify how much water will be used and how much will wash away.

“Flesh it out and get some of the details ironed out,” she said.

Radium grants amnesty for peacock

Radium’s peacock would presumably have preened his feathers if he had attended the community’s last council meeting where his fate was sealed.

Back in October he was slated for exile, with the village making arrangements to banish him to a nearby acreage, but the peacock foiled the efforts of those who attempted to capture him.

With the peacock on the loose and evading those who would send him away, the village relented and granted him amnesty.

“He’s staying in town,” Mayor Clara Reinhardt said, adding that the decision to allow him to remain in the community comes after a group of locals lobbied on his behalf, offering to give the big blue bird their devotion.

“They called me and asked me why he had to move,” she said. “I said we just didn’t want somebody to find him dead. That’s why he had to move – in order to ensure that he was cared for. And they assured me that there was a group of people who are caring for him.”

The peacock has been thriving since he was able to come out of hiding.

“He has been sighted. Apparently he’s back in full plumage,” Reinhardt said.

As for the property owner, whose peacock plans were prevented, Reinhardt said: “oh, he’ll get over it.”