Vancouver’s Aquatic Centre shutting down during upcoming 4/20 event

The controversy continues for this year’s 4/20 event.

In February, organizers of the mass marijuana protest/party announced the annual event will be held at Sunset Beach because of increasing logistical problems. Claiming they had outgrown the the Vancouver Art Gallery, which has been the location of the unauthorized event for 20 years, organizers moved the marijuana smoke-in the beach beside the Vancouver Aquatic Centre.

Now, the Vancouver Park Board said they will close the Aquatic Centre.

Staff at the facility say they decided the ventilation system would suck up too much pot smoke and the Park Board chair says they urged the 4/20 organizers to consider a new location months ago since smoking is not allowed at city parks or beaches.

“From the park board’s perspective, and I really want to stress this, this is an unsanctioned event, this is a non-permanent event, and it is classified as public protest. It really doesn’t fall under the jurisdiction of the park board,” Park Board Chair Sarah-Kirby Yung said last month.

“It doesn’t meet our standards for events. For one thing, we have a non-smoking bylaw.”

Approximately 20,000 people attended the event last year, when it cost the City of Vancouver an estimated $93,000.