You Can Now Legally Drink In 9 Of North Vancouver's Public Parks
The day so many people in the city have been waiting for has finally arrived. After their most recent council meeting, North Vancouver allowed drinking booze in public parks and some other areas. Now people can enjoy a cool beer in the sun and not have to be on the lookout for cops (not that we've ever done that).
In a council meeting on Monday night, June 1, North Vancouver approved a new bylaw that'll allow people to drink in public in certain spots — and they believe they're the first city in B.C. to do so, according to Twitter.
They'll be setting up signs in the areas where this is allowed, which includes public parks, between the hours of 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. during all days of the week, according to their meeting agenda. You can start drinking as soon as the signs go up, it reads.
For now, this is just a pilot project which will end Thursday, October 15. The results will then be looked over to see if the idea works or not.
Currently, the parks you're allowed to drink in (as soon as they install the signage) includes Victoria Park West, Grand Boulevard, Kings Mill Walk Park, Cates Deck, Civic Plaza near city hall, and parts of Waterfront Park, Mahon Park, Ray Perrault Park, and Shipbuilders Square.
That doesn't mean you're allowed to get sloshed in public or hold ragers on the neighbour's front lawn; bylaw officers and police will be rolling out and carefully watching the allowed areas for public intoxication, loud disturbances, impaired driving, underage drinking, and more.
"I believe this makes the @CityOfNorthVan the first jurisdiction in BC to pass a bylaw such as this one," wrote North Vancouver Mayor Linda Buchanan on Twitter. "This summer city parks will be an extension of everyones own backyard."
"This summer we need to find new ways to connect while distancing," Buchanan tweeted. "This is just one way we’re working to make #NorthVan a city for people."
The City of Vancouver is also in talks to allow drinking in public parks, but until then, it's possible that everyone moves their picnics to North Vancouver this summer.