You might be able to legally crack a beer in a park or on a beach in Vancouver sometime in the future but it likely won’t be any time soon.
On Dec. 17, Vancouver Park Board commissioners unanimously approved a motion, proposed by Green commissioner Dave Demers, directing staff to “conduct a feasibility study” looking at the legal, logistical, societal, enforcement and financial considerations of allowing people to consume alcohol on beaches and in parks.
The motion asks staff to report back to commissioners by the end of 2019. If it goes ahead, it wouldn’t be open season for drinking in all parks and beaches in the city right away. An initial pilot project would allow consumption on select parks and beaches.
Under a separate pilot project next spring alcohol will be sold and consumed on two Vancouver beaches. In October, the park board approved the two-year pilot as part of the broader concession strategy that will see wine and beer sold at on a trial basis at the concession stands at English Bay and Kits beaches.
In both cases, the alcohol sold will have to be consumed at the concession stand. At English Bay, a small section of the beach next to the public walkway would be reserved as an extension to the existing concession. At Kits a temporary small patio will be set up on the hard surface outside the existing concession.
In public consultation in 2016 as part of the concession strategy, which included an online survey, interviews and focus groups, 79 per cent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the sale of alcoholic beverages at concession stands, 16 per cent noted they disagreed or strongly disagreed, and five per cent didn’t agreed or disagreed.
That consultation will be included in the upcoming feasibility study, thanks to an amendment from Non-Partisan Association commissioner Tricia Barker.
“When that was discussed at the last board, a lot of alcohol in parks was talked about and the public had a lot of input into that and I think the public is very concerned about what we’re doing now, as we’ve all heard with the feedback over the last week,” she said.
Several commissioners noted that they had heard from a number of residents on the idea over the last week and residents seem split 50/50 on the issue.
“It’s been quite interesting to see people from different viewpoint discussing their concerns about something like this and also their support…” said Green commissioner Camil Dumont. “Where we are with this motion is very different than rolling something out tomorrow and I think that with a lot of communication that came our way there was a lot of people that were jumping a couple steps ahead seeing where this might lead and commenting on that as opposed to where this actually sits… there’s much work to do before we see action.”
@JessicaEKerr
jkerr@vancourier.com
