Wedding celebration with ferris wheel leads to complaints, more than a dozen tickets: Surrey, B.C., bylaw department
An extravagant wedding celebration that had a ferris wheel on site was shut down by Surrey, B.C., bylaw officers this week after complaints were received.
Officers were called to a home on 192 Street near 76 Avenue Tuesday evening after getting "multiple noise and traffic complaints from neighbours."
Surrey RCMP were bombarded with complaints about the event and say police received more than 50 calls between 10:30 p.m. Tuesday and 2:30 a.m. Wednesday. The majority of the complaints were about noise.
In a statement to CTV News Vancouver, the city's bylaw department said 15 tickets were issued for parking infractions and multiple vehicles were towed. Mounties also went to the home to support bylaw officers.
"This appeared to be a wedding celebration," the statement said. "Bylaw officers advised the organizer of (the) wedding to stop and desist their activities due to noise and traffic issues impacting the neighbourhood."
The next day, bylaw officers and Mounties went back to the house with building and electrical inspectors. According to the bylaw department, "multiple illegal tents" were set up behind the house along with a ferris wheel. A stop work order was issued because the property owner reportedly didn't get the appropriate permits for the large tents.
"The city also issued compliance orders to the owner due to concerns over the electrical set up," the bylaw department said, adding that fines for zoning and building infractions will be issued.
Surrey RCMP told CTV News in an email its community response unit is still working with the city's bylaw department to fully address the issue. While no tickets were handed out for breaking COVID-19 health orders, Mounties said they're being considered.
Multiple people told CTV News the lavish event was to celebrate the wedding of popular Punjabi singer-actor Parmish Verma and his bride Geet Grewal. She ran unsuccessfully for the Liberals in the last federal election. CTV News reached out to the family to request an interview but did not hear back.
Verma posted videos and pictures of his wedding celebration to his 6.5 million followers on Instagram.
CTV News also spoke to a woman who identified herself as the couple’s wedding planner. She said there were fewer than 130 people at the reception on the night in question and less than 70 guests at most of the wedding events that took place over six days.
She said organizers removed some speakers from the property after a noise complaint Monday.
The planner said the ferris wheel was a surprise for the groom.
But you can’t just put up a ferris wheel on private property, according to bylaws.
The City of Surrey said organizers would have needed “proper zoning for installing and operating a ferris wheel."
"Electrical permits would have been required for electrical connections. No permit for this work was issued,” the city said.
The event organizer said they provided a shuttle service so people didn’t park on the street and screened all guests to ensure they were double vaccinated.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Minister 'outraged' after AFN national chief's headdress taken from Air Canada cabin
The federal minister of Crown-Indigenous relations is calling on Air Canada to 'make things right' with the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, who said her headdress was removed from an airplane cabin during a flight this week.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Canada recognizes housing as a human right. Few provinces have followed suit
As more Canadians find themselves struggling to afford or find housing, the country's smallest province is the only one that can point to legislation recognizing housing as a human right.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.