Despite pleas from more than 30 people to prevent it, the City of Winnipeg’s Board of Adjustment has given the go-ahead to a drug store to expand in Osborne Village.

About 100 people attended the meeting Wednesday night, and the meeting went on for four hours while more than 30 people spoke to the board about the proposed expansion of Shoppers Drug Mart and 70 more sat in opposition.

Board members said they were there to make a decision not “based on emotion” but on the application set before it.

“In this case we have a plan that has a clear set of criteria for conditional use and administration feels strongly that the application be approved,” said city planner Michael Robinson.

Opposition to the proposal, which would see the store expand to 17,600 sq. ft from its current 10,000, was vocal.  Both residents and non-residents of the Village raised their voices to the board members and mocked representatives of Shoppers.

Vi-Ann restaurant owner, Bac Bui, stood in front of board pleading not to allow the expansion, as his restaurant would be demolished to make way for the building. He also said the landlord allowed him to redo all the electrical and interior décor in the restaurant, but made no mention that he was selling the building.

“If he is going to be selling the building why (he) let me to change the lighting, painting and carpet – everything? That’s selfish. He knows he sell it,” said Bui.

Shoppers representatives made the suggestion that Bui could lease space on the second floor of the proposed expansion for a new restaurant when his lease is up in June 2012.

“How do I have the money to do that?” said Bui. “I feel terrible. I feel lost. I lost everything,”

Bui plans to appeal the decision in front of city councilors when the plan goes up for final approval.