It’s April, which means the flowers are blooming, the leaves are budding and the Vancouver Park Board is gearing up to deal with the city’s annual 4/20 cannabis ‘protestival.’
In a Thursday media release, the park board said it was aware of a single, informal gathering planned to mark the April 20 event at Sunset Beach.
“The City and Park Board are working with the Vancouver Police Department, the Province, TransLink, and public health partners to actively monitor the situation and ensure a coordinated response if needed,” it said.
The park board said it would implement a suite of parking and traffic restrictions in the area in anticipation of possible crowds.
Those include the closure of the Sunset Beach parking lot on Saturday and Sunday and no-stopping restrictions on adjacent streets.
Police and park rangers will also be deployed to the park on Sunday.
Last year, the city installed metal fencing around Sunset Beach Park, preventing cannabis enthusiasts from gathering at the site for the unsanctioned event.
The controversial event, considered a festival or a protest depending on who one is talking to, has traditionally drawn thousands of people and included dozens of vendor stands and a main stage.
For years, activists staged the event outside the Vancouver Art Gallery before it moved to Sunset Beach and became a source of annual conflict with the city.