City of Kelowna to mull bylaw allowing booze on public beaches

Drinking booze, legally, may soon be allowed on Kelowna, B.C.’s beaches.

This week, Mayor Tom Dyas introduced a motion that city council direct city staff to bring forward “a report on the impact and feasibilities of permitting alcohol consumption on public beaches on a trial basis.”

In the South Okanagan, the City of Penticton allows year-round alcohol consumption at select public parks and beaches following a two-year trial.

In Kelowna, Dyas said the item has been brought up before, with councillors Mohini Singh and Charlie Hodge supporting the motion before it was carried by council.

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Council was told it would take a few weeks to prepare the report, but that it wouldn’t be too long, and that City Park would be part of the upcoming discussion.

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In Penticton, city council amended its Responsible Liquor Consumption in Designated Public Places bylaw on Feb. 7, adjusting it from seasonal to year-round.

“The initial year was very positively received and continued for 2021 and 2022 as pilot years,” Blake Laven, the city’s director of development services, told city council.

“And similarly, in both those years, the program was very well received with few negative incidents.”

1:30 ‘Booze on the beach’ now permanent in Penticton