Larkin vows end to St. Patrick’s Day party on Ezra Avenue
WATERLOO — The annual student St. Patrick’s Day bash on Ezra Avenue could be no more if the police chief has his way.
“Our intention is not to have a street party. We want to keep roadways open,” Waterloo Regional Police Chief Bryan Larkin said in an interview.
The annual street party which has been attracting record crowds year after year — with last year’s estimates hitting 15,000 students — is becoming unmanageable, said Larkin.
“It’s grown beyond our capacity to manage,” he said.
So for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration, set for Sat. March 17, police are “significantly” increasing the number of officers on the streets.
Larkin won’t say how many uniformed and plain-clothes officers will be on the streets but at this week’s police services board meeting, board members approved a plan to bring in the pub-
lic safety unit from Peel Regional Police.
That means in addition to local officers, police from Peel Regional will be on hand that date.
It’s the first time local police have asked for help from another police service.
“We have to change our approach. It’s a cultural shift,” he said.
And for Larkin it is.
In past years, the police chief has walked through the crowd of revellers, chatting with the students as they drink alcohol from coloured water bottles.
At past street parties, police have often looked the other way while students openly drank alcohol.
However, if a beer can was visible, an officer would ask a student to pour it out.
Last year, police laid about 200 charges, most of them related to open alcohol. But there were also half a dozen criminal charges.
Larkin said he’s concerned about the number of students who may be coming into Waterloo from other cities. Some buses came from as far at New York last year.
This year, the celebration is on a Saturday which could encourage more revellers to attend.
“There is a significant influx coming to our community who don’t live here and don’t attend schools in our area,” he said.
“We cannot continue to put pressures on our health system, policing and bylaw,” he said.
Police board chair Tom Galloway said as a police service it’s concerning to require help from another police service “because it is beyond our capabilities to respond.”
“This crosses a threshold we have not crossed before with St. Patrick’s Day,” he said.
David McMurray, vice-president of student affairs at Wilfrid Laurier University, said this year’s focus will be “stronger enforcement by police.”
Laurier students who violate the law and receive a fine, or are charged, are breaking the nonacademic student code of conduct, he said.
Their names will be given to the university by police and there will be consequences, McMurray said.
The range of sanctions span from a discussion to suspension and even expulsion.
“No one can stop it,” said McMurray of the party but students may be deterred from breaking the law.
“Students want to take a selfie on the street and post it. It’s on their bucket list.”
McMurray said the university has never condoned the street party and student union leaders have always supported the university on this position.
“We are so worried about something happening that is serious,” he said.
It’s common to see students dancing on the street, hanging from windows while they are drinking. Some play flip cup and beer pong on front lawns.
“This event has mushroomed into a huge gathering that has gone beyond the students,” said McMurray, referring to high school students and university students from across the province attending.
Last year, Laurier spent $120,000 on additional security for its buildings on St. Patrick’s Day.
McMurray said police have been effective at shutting down keg parties that were occurring in homes in the area by fining organizers $5,000 each.
McMurray said he has met with other university leaders and many have agreed to implement a similar plan with higher penalties for students breaking the law.
Student union leaders, along with police and city bylaw, will hold a door-knocker campaign on March 7 to remind students that they could face fines.
Kanwar Brar, President and CEO, Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union, said student leaders “actively discourage unsanctioned street gatherings on St. Patrick’s Day.”