[Deque]

I think a channel is a good addition to the forum.
I have been in other forums with irc channels and chatting with the people is just a different thing than posting or writing PM. You feel that you get closer to them. You feel free to talk about the less important stuff and to joke around. You ask people how they are, what you never do on the forum. You sometimes talk about more personal things also. I don't think it will decrease activity here, but it will get people closer to each other, which makes them more attached to HC (a forum is not more than the people that use it).