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Close Quarters
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| Goashem |
| quote: |
Big Mac attack
These frames from a videotape were secretly shot by Westdale residents upset with the drunken behaviour of McMaster students. The residents film late at night and even hide in bushes to capture the images.
New, militant community group films drunken students and considers lawsuit against the university in effort to have campus pub closed
By Rob Faulkner
The Hamilton Spectator
(Oct 21, 2006)
They film late into night, from behind bushes, in disguise for fear of reprisal, to capture what they label a "drinking problem" that starts on campus.
They've raised $10,000 for a possible lawsuit against McMaster University, and may use their web address McMonster.ca to show foreign applicants the darker side of Mac life.
Such are the aggressive tactics of a militant new community group demanding Mac close a student pub blamed for producing patrons who make life unbearable in parts of Westdale.
Formed this summer, Westdale Against Drunk Students (WADS) includes dozens of Mac's closest neighbours east of campus, mostly on Forsythe near Sterling. Quarters Pub is their main target.
"This is not a student pub," member and lawyer Lou Ferro says of the 720-capacity bar in the McMaster student centre. "It's a volume-driven, rev-'em-up Billy Bob's."
WADS will be at a rally at 11 a.m. today, with the anti-student monster home group Westdale Heritage Housing Action Committee, to complain about drunk students, residential truck traffic and other issues.
For Ferro, who with a friend has been filming in a coat and hat at the eastern entrance to Mac, the hardball tactics are necessary. Others agree.
"There's an undercurrent in Westdale right now that I haven't seen before: We're all hanging on by our fingertips as we watch our community dissolve," says resident Ann McLaughlin, who wants Mac to combat binge drinking.
But some female students call the filming "creepy," Councillor Brian McHattie says. On camera, some yell "pervert" as they appear amid shots of youth weaving, puking, swearing and fighting after closing time.
"I sympathize with their situation but it's inappropriate to be videotaping students without their permission," geography student Himali Vatsraj said.
Mac and Hamilton police say it's nearly impossible to trace such behaviour to the student pub.
Buffeted by Mac's recent enrolment growth, WADS meets at Ferro's house, sharing tales of drunk youth who bash their hedges by riding into them with shopping carts; early-morning fights with baseball bats; lawn chairs stolen every week; and for Ferro, a fence repeatedly kicked in by youth who then jump in his pool.
But their aim, to close a pub opened in 2002, sets WADS apart from the 500-member Ainslie Wood/Westdale Community Association of Resident Homeowners Inc. (AWWCA).
McHattie and the AWWCA worry closure will lead to house parties or frat houses for underage drinkers.
WADS counters, saying it's easier to call police about a house party, and a pub's worse because it concentrates students into a critical mass.
In recent months, Ferro's approach -- threatening lawsuits, filming, spreading the (bad) word about Mac students -- has not endeared him to Roger Trull, Mac vice-president of university advancement.
"Lou's been very clear that his only solution is to close Quarters. We're not prepared to do that, so we don't have much to talk about," Trull said. "But because I'm not responding to him specifically does not mean that we are not taking this issue seriously."
Quarters, which opened in 2002 in place of the Rathskeller and Downstairs John, has a perfect inspection record, according to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
WADS wants city council to request an AGCO review of the Quarters' liquor licence. It also wants the annual student Pajama Parade off Sterling Street.
At Mac, the university and the McMaster Students Union (MSU), which runs the pub, are paying for two additional police officers on busy nights; the police cover the cost of the vehicles.
"We understand there's an issue here: We don't disagree that people are being woken up between the hours of 2 and 3 a.m. because of student activity," says Trull, who wants collaboration. "Closing Quarters is not the solution."
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http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NA...l=1014656511815 |
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| Jayx1 |
And how long has the university been there?
BTW what are the laws on harassment? If i were the people in the video id be countersuing.
I think the IQ level of these people is probably summed up right here:
| quote: | | "This is not a student pub," member and lawyer Lou Ferro says of the 720-capacity bar in the McMaster student centre. "It's a volume-driven, rev-'em-up Billy Bob's." |
riiiiiiiiight
:rolleyes: |
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| Goashem |
| watch for mcmonster.ca, apperantly they suppose to have more footage on this site. however it doesnt seem to be up at the moment. |
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| Jayx1 |
Here is the info about the guy who owns Mcmonster.ca in case anyone wants to email him with their thoughts.
This is all public domain info btw although he probably doesnt realize this.
mcmonster.ca (Canada)
The domain that you requested, mcmonster.ca, has already been registered by the organization below. Please click here to see other options for this name. As an alternative, you can also let the Domain Brokers from Sedo acquire mcmonster.ca on the secondary market for you.
Registrant:
lou ferro
First Registered:
September 04, 2004
Last Updated:
August 10, 2005
Administrative Contact:
lou ferro (lou@lawpac.net)
lou ferro
1 king street west 5000
hamilton ON L8P1A4 Canada
Phone: 9055229728
Technical Contact:
lou ferro (lou@lawpac.net)
lou ferro
1 king street west 5000
hamilton ON L8P1A4 Canada
Phone: 9055229728
Name Servers:
ns.srv2.com
ns2.srv2.com
Information Source:
Canadian Internet Registration Authority |
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| Floorwhore |
| quote: | Originally posted by Pett
lol dickWADS |
:haha: |
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| Jayx1 |
| quote: | Originally posted by Goashem
watch for mcmonster.ca, apperantly they suppose to have more footage on this site. however it doesnt seem to be up at the moment. |
if they post these videos i would love to see everyone in them organize a harrasment lawsuit. |
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| Irishaddict |
LOLOLOLOLOL
Good ing luck getting Quarters closed! |
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| Jayx1 |
| quote: | Originally posted by Irishaddict
LOLOLOLOLOL
Good ing luck getting Quarters closed! |
if the islanders can have the docks shut down anything is possible... |
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| MarkT |
They would be far more effective constantly calling the police, the university and the LLBO.
This type of just stirs up trouble.
Imagine how quickly action would HAVE to be taken if EVERY one of the idiots in this group just called the cops EVERY time they experienced some serious drama, like property damage, tresspassing, (jumping in the pool), noise at 2 or 3am (noise bylaws surely exist).
If the police were contstantly facing complaints, they would act. If the president of the university and the head of the student association were constantly called, they would act.
The problem here is the unreasonable request to close the place down...just like the island residents saying the Docks should be closed down.
There is a middle ground there somewhere...and, just like with the Docks, it's pathetic if both sides won't sit down TOGETHER and work out a solution.
I'd really like to see court-ordered mediation be required in more and more cases like this. |
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| Jayx1 |
the solution is for people like this not to obtain property adjacent to areas where this is know to occur.
Problem solved.
Do some research before you move in.
I wish that people moving into neighbourhoods would be forced to sign something saying that they accpet things the way they are. |
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| MarkT |
well...the new pub was opened in 2002...so I expect many of those residents lived there before then.
I don't think that's fair either. Just becuase it's pub doesn't mean that nearby residents should have to deal with property damage, trespassing and noise at 3am.
I suppose if one of those jackass students drowned in his pool, his idiot parents would sue the pool owner and win! :rolleyes: |
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