Alcohol at Vancouver beaches to be allowed through temporary pilot

The alcohol in parks program will be permanent and year round after a Vancouver Park Board vote. (CityNews)

The Vancouver Park Board has approved its Alcohol in Parks program and launched a new pilot to allow people to drink an adult beverage — legally — at some local beaches.

People will be allowed to consume alcoholic beverages at seven beaches in the city — Jericho Beach, Spanish Banks, Kitsilano Beach, Locarno Beach, Second Beach in Stanley Park, John Hendry/Trout Lake Beach, and New Brighton Beach.

“All are within parks proposed for the permanent program,” the motion reads. “In line with the piloting approach used in the previous two years, the Beach Pilot will be temporary, and will have engagement and on-site monitoring components to gather public feedback and data.”

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Throughout the pilot, staff are expected to collect feedback from the public to determine next steps. Alcohol will only be allowed between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m.

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The Beach Pilot is set to launch on June 1 and end on Sept. 4.

Green Party Park Board Commissioner Tom Digby voted in favour of the pilot and points to the success of the project implemented in parks.

“We did do a pilot project with the drinking in the parks here in Vancouver and people found that basically, their neighbours were extremely well-behaved. There was a minimum of conflict caused by drinking in the parks,” he said.

However, he notes that if it doesn’t go well there is an option to reverse course.

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“If there’s too much garbage we can still cancel this project,” he said. “But the evidence so far is that there was fairly minimal [garbage] and there were no serious behavioural outcomes that people were particularly concerned about.”

The board says signs will be put up warning people not to drink and swim, as well as showing which areas as “designated ‘Alcohol Allowed Zones.'”

“Specific to the Beach Pilot sites, the signs will also include key information about the pilot including roles and responsibilities of the park users (including messaging around aquatic safety), and invitations and links to participate in an online public survey, which would remain live throughout the duration of the pilot period,” the motion explains.

Digby adds that they will be monitoring the situation.

“So that is taking a step, admittedly, into the unknown. And you know, alcohol and swimming does not mix, that’s well understood, by, I think, all of our citizens and residents, so that’s the kind of situation we’re paying attention to this summer is what’s happening on our beaches,” he said.

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But he says he is “optimistic” it will work.

“There’s so many people living in smaller and smaller apartments in the city and the parks are just right there. And so if folks are going to be well-behaved, and not overdo it, and respect their neighbours — then this park, it’s going to roll out,” he said.

The parks where alcohol consumption will be allowed include:

During the months of July and August each year, consuming alcohol will be permitted at:

 

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Park rangers are expected to monitor all sites, with the board saying they will prioritize Beach Pilot locations.

-With files from Martin MacMahon and Emily Marsten

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