Ban OVO Fest after-party at Exhibition grounds: Karygiannis

WATCH ABOVE: City Councillors Jim Karygiannis and Giorgio Mammoliti want the Exhibition Place Board of Governors to look into banning OVO Fest parties and similar events and replace them with family friendly ones. Marianne Dimain reports.

TORONTO – Toronto city councillor Jim Karygiannis wants the OVO Fest after-party kicked out of the Muzik nightclub permanently.

Karygiannis sent a letter to the Exhibition Place board of governors on Tuesday requesting a detailed report by Oct. 23 on replacing the event, and similar ones, with those that are “more business and family oriented in nature.”

A call for the ban comes after two people were fatally shot and three others wounded in the early morning hours of Aug. 4 as the after-party was coming to an end.

“The OVO Fest has been surrounded by violence for the last two years and should no longer be held on the Exhibition Place grounds,” said Karygiannis in a statement.

“Clearly, the presence of the Toronto Police officers and dozens of private security personnel, hired by the tenant, were not sufficient to protect the public from this violent criminal attack.”

On Tuesday, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders appealed to the public to come forward with more information on the shooting.

Police also announced that they have suspended the practice of having paid-duty officers work at the Muzik nightclub in the wake of the incident.

“Regardless of the tenant’s advance planning work with Exhibition Place staff and Toronto Police to provide a safe and secure venue, unfortunately, it failed, with drastic consequences,” said Karygiannis.