Tickets, fines to derail St. Patrick’s Day party
City looking to enhance action against giant study party held each year on Ezra Avenue
WATERLOO — The City of Waterloo is looking to enhance existing bylaws around unsanctioned events and nuisance properties in advance of the annual St. Patrick’s Day party on Ezra Avenue.
“We’re looking at any sorts of regulatory tools that we can (put) in place that might encourage people to tone down the behaviour,” said Shayne Turner, director of municipal enforcement services with the City of Waterloo. “Particularly, on private property, around holding the occupants of properties accountable for any damages and any costs that the city incurs in terms of dealing with the property.”
With the big bash just weeks away, Turner was at council on Monday to give an update on what enforcement services at the city is doing to prepare.
He expects the any proposed bylaw amendments to come before council for approval in advance of Sat. March 17.
The annual street party has brought with it record crowds of students with last year’s estimates reaching 15,000. This year, there’s concern the number could be larger given the holiday falls on a Saturday.
“I think my biggest concern, and the concern that’s coming out of the neighbourhood of course, is this has always fallen on a weekday,” said Coun. Melissa Durrell during Monday’s presentation. “That’s meant that with our partners at the universities that basically mandates that everyone go to school during that time; there’s no school to go to on Saturday.”
Turner acknowledges the concern and said activities and resources deployed from a municipal standpoint, will be ramped up.
“Ticketing and fines is going to be one of our key focuses this year,” he said, adding that the city will also be reaching out to residences that are known to have caused problems in the past.
“Part of our approach ... is identifying those properties where we know we’ve had challenges in the past around noisy parties and party behaviour,” he said.
“We’re going to be reaching out to those occupants of those properties ahead of time to advise them of what the consequences might be.”
On March 7, city bylaw, student union leaders and police will carry-out a door-knocking campaign that will detail fines for behaviours that include public drinking and noise violations.
This year, Waterloo Regional Police Chief Bryan Larkin has said he wants to keep roadways open, meaning no party on the street. Police have also called on Peel Regional police services for additional officers to assist on the day.