Some of us have dealt with noisy neighbours and loud house parties at one time or another. However, a resident from Surrey’s Panorama Ridge area says big parties from at least one particular home in his neighbourhood is not acceptable.
Surrey resident Bob Campbell, standing outside his Panorama Ridge neighbourhood home, says these parties are not typical.
“These are big events. They go on typically five to seven days. There’s an activity every single night.”
Campbell believes at least one home is being rented out as a banquet hall for weddings. He’s even seen ads for the home listed as a “vacation, wedding, party, house rental” on Craigslist. He says the home, which is not occupied, is being operated as a business for profit. Several Surrey homes, described as an “ideal wedding venue” online, run for $5000 dollars a week.
It’s been going on for three years now, according to Campbell. He added that the chaos begins even days before the event actually takes place, “the tent trucks shows up. The food trucks show up. The cleaning trucks show up.” He says fireworks can be heard at night and the weddings in many cases happen weekend after weekend for an entire summer.
He’s says so many cars pack the street where he lives that he doubts emergency vehicles could get through if paramedics were called out.
Global News crews spotted wedding party tents and banquet chairs and tables just around the corner from Campbell’s Panorama Ridge home.
The home’s owner did not return Global News‘ calls, but guests who did not want to go on camera, confirmed they were attending a weekend wedding at the home.
The groom’s father says he’s staying at the home as guests of the owners. He claims they’re not paying rent to hold the wedding there.
According to the city, if homeowners are operating a business, they need a business license.
Campbell says he’s brought his concerns forward to the city several times, but feels his complaints have not been addressed.
“If this was a family having a wedding we’d be all happy to congratulate them but that’s not what this is. This is a commercial operation. It’s incredibly disruptive.”
Surrey city councillor Barinder Rasode is in favour of providing proper zoning and bylaws to regulate this type of business.
“This is a business that’s in demand in Surrey,” says Rasode. But she also says disruptions of any kind to neighbours are unacceptable.
The idea of having the city regulate this type of business does little to resolve Campbell’s frustration.
“How about shutting it down?”
“That would seem a logical thing to do.”
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