Vancouver closer to making drinking alcohol in parks legal year-round – and beaches could be next
The Vancouver Park Board is taking steps to make drinking alcohol in public parks a legal activity all year long – and could soon allow booze at beaches as well.
A motion passed Monday during the recently formed board’s final meeting of 2022 calls for city staff to “initiate a process to make the Alcohol in Parks program permanent and year round.”
Twenty-two Vancouver parks were included in two pilot programs that ran from July to October 2021 and June to October 2022. The city’s goal was to better understand how people drank booze in parks, the impact on the community, and the required facilities.
Park board staff are still reviewing the most recent pilot, and are set to release a report on their findings in the coming weeks. According to the motion tabled by Commissioner Jaspreet Virdi, the 2022 pilot ran with no apparent problems or significant issues.
A survey on the success of the 2021 pilot found 86 per cent of people were supportive of the alcohol in parks program.
Now, there's interest in expanding a permanent program to include more parks across the city.
“A review of the City’s park inventory database indicates that there are approximately 70+ parks around the City with existing washroom facilities that may support the expansion of the alcohol in parks program, but which may require further review by staff in relation to site selection criteria,” the motion reads.
Bringing legal booze consumption to Vancouver’s beaches is also on the park board’s agenda, according to the motion, which directs staff to report back with a plan on the new pilot by early 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
3 Indian nationals accused of murdering Hardeep Singh Nijjar facing court in B.C.
Three Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are due to face court Tuesday over the killing that triggered a major diplomatic rift with India.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.