Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 mayor says if one of his councillors goes ahead with a protest of the city害羞草研究所檚 plan to permit all buskers by playing his guitar in public downtown without a permit, and there is a complaint, he害羞草研究所檒l be treated like anyone else.

Colin Basran said city bylaw officers will ask Coun. Ryan Donn to stop and go get a permit. If he refuses, only then would he face getting a ticket.

害羞草研究所淗e害羞草研究所檚 free to do whatever he so chooses,害羞草研究所� said Basran when asked about Donn害羞草研究所檚 protest that was announced on Facebook Tuesday.

In his post, Donn said once the weather gets better害羞草研究所攐n June 8害羞草研究所攈e is planning to 害羞草研究所済rab his guitar and entertain people害羞草研究所� on the street downtown. While he doesn害羞草研究所檛 say he will do that without a busking permit, that is the inference. He said he will work out details later.

Donn called the city害羞草研究所檚 decision earlier this week to change the busking program rules first and then review the program 害羞草研究所渢he dumbest bylaw process ever.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淲e should have consulted first then passed the bylaw,害羞草研究所� said Donn, who is a musician and worked for Festivals Kelowna before being elected to council.

害羞草研究所淚 believe that consultation should happen before a bylaw is passed not after. That害羞草研究所檚 just backwards,害羞草研究所� wrote Donn in another Facebook post.

害羞草研究所淔armers are consulted on the (agriculture) plan before it is passed. Developers before we change the DCC害羞草研究所檚. Musicians should have been consulted before passing a new bylaw about street entertainers.害羞草研究所�

Basran said Donn is free to do what he wants if it comes to a protest.

害羞草研究所淏ut him doing that would show one thing,害羞草研究所� said the mayor. 害羞草研究所淚f he chose to do that (without a permit), and somebody were to complain, bylaw (officers) would show up and the first attempt would be (for) compliance.害羞草研究所�

And, Basran added, that shows the city is not out to stop buskers. Instead, the mayor defended the city害羞草研究所檚 move to turn the current voluntary busker permit program into a mandatory one as an attempt to raise the quality of street entertainment in the city.

Currently there are 16 prescribed busker locations downtown where buskers can perform. Under the new rules they would need permits to play there, or in any location outside the downtown core if they expected to make money from donations.

Festivals Kelowna handles the permitting of buskers and performer must pass an audition.

Outside the downtown area, buskers would be allowed to play anywhere as long as they have a licence under the new rules which have yet to be passed by council.

On Monday the change only received initial approval and that must still be be finalized. No date has been set for that to occur.

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