Penhold town council passed a new combative sports bylaw during its May 28 meeting.
The new bylaw replaces the former combative sports bylaw and calls for a new commission to be formed.
That means the current Penhold combative sports commission is now inactive and will be informed as such, council learned through questioning.
Councillors Chad Hoffman and Danielle Klooster voted against the second and third readings which were passed on May 28. The first reading of the bylaw had been passed in November.
Council heard a presentation from Dale Kliparchuk before they voted on the bylaw. Kliparchuk said he's been involved in combative sports his whole life and has experience with regulation. Mayor Dennis Cooper said he'd helped make some updates to the now-passed bylaw, updating the names of organizations and other things.
“This is probably the best market right now,” Kliparchuk said of Central Alberta and combative sports. He said Penhold is sitting on a “gold mine” between their location and the “beautiful multiplex.”
“It's a multibillion dollar industry,” Kliparchuk said of combative sports shows, which can include boxing, mixed martial arts, professional wrestling and more.
Kliparchuk said Penhold's combative sports commission would be able to run events in Penhold but also lend its support out to other jurisdictions. He said doing so can help raise the profile of the town.
Klooster raised the concern that sometimes small municipalities are chosen because “they wouldn't have perhaps the wherewithal” to ask questions.
“Why choose Penhold as a jurisdiction as opposed to … Red Deer?” she asked.
Cooper said Kliparchuk has offered to be the executive director of the new commission as well as find commission members that will be introduced to council “so we have that level of confidence.”
Hoffman said the new bylaw contains a clause that allows the commission to waive or amend the regulations with regards to meetings and officers. Rick Binnendyk, the town's chief administrative officer, said the bylaw had been run through the town's legal counsel and the lawyers' concerns addressed.
Council accepted Kliparchuk's presentation for information. Later in the meeting they voted on the bylaw after some further discussion.
“I don't understand how this serves the community,” Hoffman said. He said he wanted a more community-driven approach.
The council was prepared to appoint Kliparchuk the executive director but Klooster pointed out that according to the bylaw the director has to be chosen by the commission.
