At Swift Current city council meeting Monday, The Center - a hangout for youth that tries to promote a safe and fun environment - joined the Eastside Church of God in objecting to a proposed bylaw that would allow a pot shop near The Center's downtown location.

The Center, which has zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol, wants a buffer zone of about 100 to 300 metres, though their executive director, Nathan Wiebe, said that's largely about image.

"If people really want to sell to youth in The Center, if they really want to come and try and do that they'll make that happen. But as far as making a huge difference, if it's further away, I think for the parents and the people who drop off youth at The Center, it's more just a peace of mind knowing that it's not within 100, 150 metres plus of The Center."

"Our stance is we just want it as far away as possible," Wiebe also said. "We don't want parents to drive by a cannabis retail shop on their way to The Center. It's easier said than done in some aspects."

He noted that having a small city centre makes it hard to create a buffer zone, which ties the City's hands.

There are also licensed establishments near The Center.

"I don't think there's a lesser of the two evils. We view it as basically one of those things where we now have one more thing we need to worry about."

Wiebe did say bar owners have been good to deal with.

"As far as the Akropol and the Modern and just different bars around town, they're all in it for a business purpose. As much as they can't directly support The Center, we know just from our past conversations that they do support The Center, and they support what we're doing here, and they've got a business to run, and they're trying to do that respectfully in their own way in a classy way."

Wiebe added that they'll be keeping a closer eye on people around The Center once marijuana is legal on October 17. He said that while having an RCMP station right across the street (on 1st Avenue Northeast) makes them feel safer generally, he doesn't see it as much of a deterrent for the possibility of people providing youth who attend The Center with marijuana.

Council is expected to vote on the issue at their next meeting September 10.