Region covers $45,000 tab for WLU Homecoming street party

Every good time often comes with a price tag- and the massive street party during Wilfrid Laurier’s Homecoming is no exception.

It cost the Region just under $45,000 to keep enough police and paramedics on Ezra Avenue during the University’s day of revelry.

Waterloo Regional Police say it cost an additional $29,000 for their services, stemming largely from the 360 overtime hours logged.

Region of Waterloo EMS say the weekend price tag was $15,000 for additional staff hours and special event training.

If these numbers are consistent with St. Patrick’s Day, which is typically a larger celebration, the cost total is upwards of $90,000.

In October, Chief of Police Bryan Larkin said the massive street parties must come to an end.

“It doesn’t concern me that young people want to have fun, but they have to realize that they are impacting the lives of others, the taking over of a public street which has become somewhat of a rite, quite frankly has to stop, we cannot continue down this road,” said Larkin.

Waterloo Mayor Dave Jaworsky has spoken several time about his concern about public safety during these events.

Jaworsky says thinking about the large street parties keep him up at night, “Its near the top of my list of things that I care about and things I lose sleep over, the opioid crisis, St. Patrick’s Day and affordable housing and poverty, those are kind of the three issues I worry about because it’s really hard to make progress on those issues,” said Jaworsky.

Planning has already begun for next year’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, but no word if there will be any major changes.

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