It turns out you won’t be drinking alcohol in a park anytime soon in either of Saskatchewan’s two biggest cities.
On Wednesday, Regina city council voted against a proposal that would have allowed residents to consume alcoholic beverages in some city parks — with some councillors saying that’s what their constituents are asking for.
Four city councillors voted in favour of the proposal, seven voted against it. The proposal can return to council if a member puts it back on a future agenda.
Sandra Masters, Regina’s mayor, told Global News why the motion failed on Friday.
“I think the concerns were around alcohol consumption in itself and residents who have backyards that back onto the parks.”
Under current rules, Regina residents can only drink alcohol in parks if they obtain a permit.
Some Regina residents believe people already drink in parks, albeit secretly. ‘I am okay if people aren’t able to, I know some people will still do that, Regina resident Ian Leverington said. “Maybe they would try to be less conspicuous about it.”
Varty Bratt, another resident, said the ban on drinking alcohol in parks does not make much of a difference to him.
“I have lived 40 years without drinking in the park. I don’t see what it’s going to do or who it’s going to hurt if it does,” he said. “It probably happens already. A lot of people just can’t see it. What you can’t see does not hurt you.”
In Saskatoon, Lynne Lacroix, the general manager of community services, said council will be provided with information on what other cities are doing regarding alcohol in parks and how it is working in those jurisdictions. But for now, extensive work or research will not be done until city council gives direction to administration.
”An information report will be provided to Council in October on the provincial legislative changes,” Lacroix said. “(It) will provide a high-level summary on what other jurisdictions are doing, how it has been working, and what processes they undertook for engagement and research before embarking on their pilot project for allowing alcohol consumption.”
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