Pelham to allow alcohol in park
Pilot project won’t include Thursday concert series
Fonthill residents may soon be allowed to bring alcohol to enjoy in Peace Park — at least on a trial basis.
Pelham town council is poised to update the municipality’s parks bylaw, which will include implementing a personal alcohol consumption pilot project.
If passed, residents would be allowed to bring alcoholic beverages to Peace Park from May 1 to Oct. 31.
The only exemption would be during town-licensed events, which includes its Thursday evening Summer Chill concert series.
During last week’s regular council meeting, chief administrative officer David Cribbs called the proposed bylaw “an excellent modernization and update and upgrade overall.”
While the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario states no one can have liquor in any park or recreational area without a licence, in 2019 the Liquor Licence and Control Act authorized municipalities to pass bylaws to permit alcohol in public places.
Cribbs said allowing alcohol may increase the public’s enjoyment of Peace Park, such as enjoying a glass of champagne following a park wedding ceremony.
The Pelham clerk’s department said it has experienced a steady rise in civil marriage ceremonies, both at town hall and through its officiant services.
“We will gather data and make observations about how well that does or does not function and there will be a fall report after the fact for your consideration,” Cribbs said.
Consideration was given to including Centennial Park in Fenwick, but council opted to limit the project to Fonthill’s Peace Park.
In November 2023, council asked
town staff to look into replacing two bylaws which address the possession of alcohol in municipal parks, with one bylaw to regulate park activities, including alcohol use.
The proposed bylaw regulates conditions for entry to any park or recreational area — 20 locations — identifies prohibited conduct and specifies activities in parks and recreational activities requiring permission or authorization of the town.
It also regulates the presence of animals, motor vehicles and bicycles and sets rules for sports.
A staff report said there would be no direct costs associated with the proposed bylaw; it noted costs associated with the pilot project are unknown, but will include public education, park signage and bylaw enforcement.
Due to licensing restrictions, residents would not be allowed to bring their own alcohol to the park Thursday evenings during its concert series. However, they will be allowed to freely travel through Peace Park with a purchased beverage.
“Every year, until now, there has been an alcohol and a nonalcohol section and that distinction will no longer exist,” Cribbs told council.
St. Catharines and Niagara Falls have previously said they would watch how a Toronto pilot project unfolded before deciding whether to consider allowing alcohol in local parks.
Earlier this month, St. Catharines councillors asked city staff for a report on allowing alcohol consumption in city parks.
The report will detail what the process would look like if St. Catharines implemented a program similar to the Toronto project, including financial implications and potential timelines.
Toronto last year allowed people aged 19 and older to drink alcohol in 27 public parks, with all those parks having bathrooms, drinking water and close to public transit. The pilot ran Aug. 2 to Oct. 9 and was later extended until March 31.
Last week, a majority of Toronto councillors voted in favour of keeping the project after city staff found it was implemented with a “high level of satisfaction among park visitors, few issues arising and minimal operational impacts.”
Toronto staff said 92 per cent of people who visited a pilot park and were surveyed were satisfied with their visit, 90 per cent felt safe and 88 per cent said individuals who chose to drink at the park were considerate.