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Pinball Cafe Closed

Vengeance

Vengeance

Well-Known Member
Nov 14, 2012
1,990
139
63
Keswick, ON
As per Jason:

The Pinball Cafe is CLOSED by order of The City of Toronto based on 1) Zoning By-law No. 438-86 and 2) Interim control By-law #2012

1) "pinball or electronic game machine establishment is not permitted. only 2 pinball or other mechanical or electronic game machines is permitted in a restaurant or place of amusement"

2) No person shall use any land, building or structure within the area delineated by heavy dark lines on Schedule “A”(Queen St. West between Dufferin and Roncesvalles), attached to and forming part of this by-law, for a restaurant, take-out restaurant, rear yard or rooftop patio, bake-shop, place of amusement, place of assembly or club.

Note: After agreeing to remove all but two pinball or gaming devices and operate only as a restaurant/bar our subsequent application for a business permit fell under the jurisdiction of the interim control bylaw and was denied.

Questions or concerns regarding this notice may be directed to Zoning Building Code Examiner Harris Ramrup at hramrup@toronto.ca (416)392-7631 or Councillor Gord Perks, Ward 14. councillor_perks@toronto.ca (416) 392-7919

Additionally, all monies collected in support of The Pinball Cafe's AGCO liquor sales permit application through the Indiegogo crowd funding platform will be refunded in full within one calendar year from today.

Rachel and Jason would like to thank everyone for their support and patronage over the course of the last year.

Long Live The Silver Ball.
 
Vengeance

Vengeance

Well-Known Member
Nov 14, 2012
1,990
139
63
Keswick, ON
IMO this sucks big time, I couldn't go there very often, but when the league made an appearance it was a good time.
 
Chris Bardon

Chris Bardon

Well-Known Member
Nov 15, 2012
1,342
182
63
Mississauga, ON
This certainly does suck-there's no god reason to shut this place down. I've only been there a few times, but they're making a really great go at it, and I've always been impressed that even with a bunch of TOPL people in there, there were always non-league people playing the pins. Hopefully this gets resolved-you'd think that getting some media attention on "local business forced to close because of antiquated bylaw" might help?
 
S

SquidVicious

Member
Nov 15, 2012
301
2
18
Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Chris Bardon said:
This certainly does suck-there's no god reason to shut this place down. I've only been there a few times, but they're making a really great go at it, and I've always been impressed that even with a bunch of TOPL people in there, there were always non-league people playing the pins. Hopefully this gets resolved-you'd think that getting some media attention on "local business forced to close because of antiquated bylaw" might help?
Click to expand...

The problem isn't really just the antiquated law .. the real problem is the area has grown too quickly so the temp ban will likely keep them closed regardless of how stupid (and it is stupid) the old law was/is. It sucks as Jason and Rachel as mentioned have put alot of work into the place but unfortunately weren't able to get an exemption to the old by-law .. Barcades exist all over the place and don't cause major issues but they're probably going to be clumped in with all the other new applicants with the additonal issue of getting the bylaw changed.

Bad day for Pinball in TO

:cry:
 
DRANO

DRANO

Super Member
Nov 15, 2012
2,827
519
113
Mississauga
The 2nd bylaw makes absolutely no sense at all.
That strip is full of bakeries, restaurants etc... whey are they not shut down?
Guess I'd better go get my banana peanut butter milkshake and all-day breakfast at EASY before they get boarded up too :x
 
Chris Bardon

Chris Bardon

Well-Known Member
Nov 15, 2012
1,342
182
63
Mississauga, ON
Changes my knee jerk reaction a bit.
Click to expand...

Mine too-I knew they didn't have a liquor license, but no license to operate at all? I'm sure there's more to the story... I find it really hard to believe that they'd just open a place like that without any of the proper paperwork in place.
 
frolic

frolic

Member
Nov 19, 2012
686
0
16
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Tdot
Reposted from Gord Parks:

Friends,



Some of you have called me about the closure of the Pinball Cafe. Evidently, the owners have claimed that they were closed by order of the City of Toronto. I have confirmed today that The Pinball Cafe was not ordered closed by the City of Toronto. No City staff issued any order against the Cafe. In fact, according to Jason Hazzard, co-owner of the Cafe, this establishment has never had a business licence.



The owners had a zoning issue to overcome in order to get a licence. I met with the owners of the Pinball Cafe in February of this year and urged them to get a business licence and offered them suggestions for two possible ways to do this. They could apply to the Committee of Adjustment to allow for a “variance” from the zoning rules, or they could ask City Council to change the zoning of this property. It appears the owners did neither.





Evidently the owners also claim that the Interim Control Bylaw (ICB) controlling new business applications on Queen St. is to blame. To be clear the ICB cannot close a legally operating establishment.



I am sad to see Pinball go, but it was a decision of the owners to operate without a licence, and their decision to close.



-Gord
Click to expand...
 
frolic

frolic

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Nov 19, 2012
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It's tough for the city to shut a place down. Even Captain Johns is still there, only effectively shut because they turned off his water and took away the gang plank. So Gord Parks version seems accurate enough to me.

In hind sight, them opening with those zoning issues with the pinballs.... it just never made much sense. Oh well, it's gone now, RIP.
 
J

Jokercyclone

New Member
Nov 19, 2012
26
0
1
It will be a shame that a place like that is not around anymore. Its getting hard for younger kids to grow up with pinball memories and love it when there older. Sure they can discover it when there adults but it loses some of its magic that way.
 
frolic

frolic

Member
Nov 19, 2012
686
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Anyone know if they were successful as a business? Maybe the whole thing just wasn't working.
 
slacker

slacker

Member
Nov 15, 2012
61
3
8
Hamilton Ontario
No matter what the reason for the Cafe closing it is a sad day :(

All I can say I'm not from the area and avoid T.O unless there is something that draws me there!
I have made more trips in the last year for the sole reason to go visit the cafe and if not just for that I always ended my day there before heading home to the Hammer! I have games at home but always enjoy playing on location and this was a great one his tables were always in good repair and got swapped out to change things up a bit. I have went to other locations only to be let down this NEVER happened at the cafe! The food was awesome, service was always good so I will wear my shirt proud with hopes this is just a bump in the road for them and a plan is in the works to open a new location in an area that will welcome them! Here's hoping that bigger and better is in the works....
If they build it I will come.
Cheers!
J..
 
brewmanager

brewmanager

Active Member
Nov 14, 2012
629
111
43
Scarborough, ON
I went a couple of times, even got on the news there! It had a decent sized crowd there both times - hard to imagine they weren't at least turning a profit, but I guess you never know.

I will particularly miss the Brownies...those were freaking good brownies.
 
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