Overwhelming support was given at a public hearing held last Tuesday regarding an amendment to a bylaw to make way for a new business in Rimbey.
After listening to several people in the gallery voice their support of Hawk Tail Brewery and Tap Room, council unanimously gave third reading to the bylaw.
Included in the supporters was businessman Rick Anderson.
“Looking at it from a business point of view Hawk Tail Brewery will draw people to our community. It will be an asset to the community. I give it a double thumbs up.”
Chamber president Melvin Durand said the chamber definitely supported the brewery.
Bart Vandenhoven, a local farmer also spoke in favour of the brewery.
“On the agricultural side the brewery will be beneficial. Vandenhoven plans to use the waste products from the brewing process for animal feed. he said.
Hawk Tail Brewery Ltd. is owned by Derek Nordstrom, his wife Angela, Randall Vandenhoven and Anthony and Allison Goodwin.
The scope of operations of the brewery will be the commercial scale production and distribution of packaged beer across the province in both cans and kegs. They will have a tap room licensed through AGLC as a ‘community hub in which we will sell our beer and host local events such as yoga, live concerts, and receptions. Similar businesses in neighbouring communities would be Snake Lake Brewery in Sylvan Lake, Siding 14 Brewery in Ponoka and Blindman Brewery in Lacombe.
The company is aiming for August as an opening date. They plan to hire four full-time employees at startup and hope to have more than 10 people employed in two to three years.
“It’s a wonderful business for a small town,” said Norstrom, who now plans to move ahead with an application for a development permit