Waterloo bylaw officials to try their luck shutting down St. Patrick’s day party on Ezra Avenue

By cceolin

Even the luck of the Irish might not be able to save St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Waterloo’s university district.

That’s if Waterloo bylaw officials have their way at Monday night’s city council meeting.

Changes are being proposed to the property standards and public nuisance bylaws that if approved could eventually end the streetfront festivities on Ezra Avenue for good.

“Prevention is actually the key,” says Shayne Turner, director of municipal enforcement services.

Last year, 15,000 partygoers crammed the Ezra Avenue neighbourhood for the annual, unsanctioned drink fest. This year, the city hopes to tone things down by equipping enforcement officers with new powers in managing any large gathering of people who are causing a nuisance or safety concern.

“Once these new provisions are in place … that’s going to be part of our public messaging to the community,” Turner says. “If you’re having a celebration and that celebration creates a public safety risk, or encroaches out into the public roadway, we could hold you accountable.”

That could mean giving officers authority to step in whenever they see something unsafe, and even issue fines when traffic or sidewalks become blocked.

“If we’ve got a particular situation that’s drawing an undue burden on resources because of a particular situation on private property, than we’ve got the ability to charge those back,” he says. “But generally speaking, we have a significant number of resources from bylaw and fire in the area of Ezra every St. Patrick’s Day anyway.”

Assuming council votes in favour of the enhanced provisions, they’ll take effect immediately — meaning you could have to pay for your right to party on March 17th.

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