Beer In Parks? Count The Problems: THE VOTER
Just thinking about the activities going on in community parks in the summer, I can see many potential problems with legal drinking in them.
If each councillor is limited in how many parks they can designate, they’ll probably go for the bigger ones. Those are many of the same ones where the kids’ soccer, baseball and football leagues play. There are already problem parents there – do we really want them to be alcohol-fuelled?
What about the parks with pools or beaches? We already know booze and swimming don’t mix – why ask for trouble? Is it fair to ask our teenaged lifeguards to deal with people who’ve had a few too many? Children under a certain age are supposed to be supervised by an accompanying adult when they’re in the water. Who gets to tell mom or dad that they aren’t in a fit state to be in the water, at all never mind supervising a child?
There are already laws about being drunk or disorderly in a public place. How quickly will police respond or will they say it’s a bylaw issue and you have to call the city? How many new bylaw officers will need to be hired to deal with the fall-out? What position does it put coaches, lifeguards and others in while they wait for the police to arrive?
If the lifeguard or coach is busy dealing with someone who’s had a bit too much, does that mean they have to close the beach/pool or suspend the game while they do that? What training will they need for these potential circumstances and who’s going to provide it? What are the liability issues for the city or the league?
Will families feel comfortable going to a park to play or for a picnic if they are worried about what condition other patrons might be in? What will your children have been exposed to before any law enforcement turns up?
Is this something that people have been asking the city for or is it a staff initiative? Will the designation of a park be solely up to the local councillor or will there be community consultations before it happens? If there isn’t a clear consensus in the community, who decides?
It’s true that many people are able to have a drink or two and not be a problem of any kind. Unfortunately, there are others who can’t drink responsibly and would ruin it for everyone else.
The Voter is a respected community activist and long-time Bulldog commenter who prefers to keep her identity private.
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The city is already dealing with discarded drug paraphernalia and litter now add to the debris in parks broken bottles, inebriants and disorderly conduct by a few so a few more can drink almost wherever they wish. Not my idea of a family park setting, thanks but NO Thanks Ottawa.
What next, ashtrays next to park benches for pot smokers?
sisco, putting your wonderful sense of sarcasm to the side, providing ash trays is one thing. Expecting people to use them is another. Witness the perpetual mess in front of the city building on Constellation Drive here in Stately Centrepointe. If city staff can’t be bothered to put their butts in the receptacle, how can we expect regular folks to take responsibility for their waste – be it tobacco or other herbal components?
Madame Voter, excellent points indeed but thinking there would be community consultation is simply a bridge too far.
Ron. Sarcasm? I always considered myself a realist, until I read a remark you once made, “there’s a fine line between realism and cynicism”. Since that time I’ve become more self-aware and always err on the side of cynicism.