September 13, 2016 – Barbara Simpson, The Observer – Sarnia’s burgeoning microbrewery has been given the green light to expand in the downtown core.
City council has approved the Refined Fool Brewing Company’s plans to set up a new production facility and special events tap room in the former Sarnia This Week building located at 153 Christina St. S.
The second location will allow the Davis Street-based craft brewery to increase its production – eventually up to 9,715 barrels annually – and hire up to 10 more employees over time.
“We started as a group of friends in my backyard trying to unfreeze hoses while attempting to keep turkey burners running at appropriate temperatures, yet today we’re one of the fastest growing industries in Canada and contribute to Sarnia’s local economy and employee base,” said Nathan Colquhoun, one of the owners of the Refined Fool Brewing Company.
On Monday, city council approved in a 7-1 vote – with Coun. Dave Boushy as the sole dissenter – the Refined Fool’s rezoning application to allow the craft brewery to set up shop in the 11,162-square-foot former newspaper building.
Several city politicians used the occasion to toast – figuratively, of course – the success of the city’s first microbrewery in front of Refined Fool supporters gathered in council chambers.
“I don’t think you can look at a business anywhere in Sarnia, Ont. that is more progressive, clean-spirited, gung-ho – I don’t know, I can’t come up with enough adjectives,” said Coun. Matt Mitro.
“You’re doing a great job and I don’t see any reason why they won’t continue do a fantastic job, and I’m heartily supporting one of Sarnia’s recent major success stories.”
If there was any bitterness in the air Monday night, it came from some politicians frustrated over the drawn-out process Refined Fool faced to bring its expansion plans to city council.
Refined Fool spent $26,000 to prepare its rezoning application, Colquhoun told council, which included the hiring of a retired city planner, the hosting of a community meeting and the commissioning of third-party studies to investigate the potential for noise and odour to come from the new facility.
Colquhoun said all these measures were undertaken in an effort to “ensure a successful partnership between our company, our city and our neighbours.”
“I think it’s an absolute shame that this business has had to spend – or chose to spend – thousands of dollars to hire a consultant to bring this to our attention and get it to where it is,” Coun. Cindy Scholten said Monday. “We’re talking about a microbrewery in the downtown.”
Despite these measures, representatives of a nearby law firm and the Residence on the St. Clair retirement home appeared before council to raise concerns over potential noise and odour from the new facility.
City planning director Alan Shaw said the city has received complaints about odour emanating from the Refined Fool’s Davis Street property as the result of spent hops being located in an outdoor waste bin.
Colquhoun told council that Refined Fool plans to store its spent hops inside at its new location and they’ll be picked up on a daily basis.
While Refined Fool had to commit a significant amount of money and time into its rezoning application, Coun. Anne Marie Gillis told Colquhoun she appreciates Refined Fool’s professionalism and diligence through the process.
“All those details that you went into and spent your money on is going to serve you very well, and not only that, but it gives you the ability to present your product as something that people can depend on and rely on and that it’s a safe product.”
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