It was a quiet scene at Breakwater Park Friday afternoon and not just because of the cooler temperatures. The area is a little less inviting now that fences have been erected.
The gates around Breakwater Park and the pier will close from 8 pm until 6.30 am from Thursday until Sunday.
“It’s unfortunate” says acting Kingston police chief Scott Fraser. “It affects the whole community but we just need to get through this time period.”
He says the park and pier have become simply too tempting of a party-place for returning students. During a recent evening, an estimated 1,500 young people crammed into the area at night, leading to a nuisance complaint.
“We know at the beginning of the school year when our post secondary students return that sometimes things just get carried away a little bit.”
Some regulars to the pier, like Sandy Sousa, are frustrated at the closure of a space they’re used to accessing anytime.
“It’s being closed for a certain population without the consideration of the other people that are being affected,” says Sousa.
But others like Julie Douglas say given the stakes it’s worth the inconvenience.
“I’m a mom and I think all of those things are at the forefront, you want kids to be safe you want them to have fun but safety first. so if that’s what needs to be done then I’m all for it.”
Fraser says the police will be working with the city and by-law to keep an eye on the pier, in addition to ensuring all other weekend activities go off without a hitch.
“We’re gonna be watching and we’re hoping to catch people doing things right. That’s what the goal is. We want to catch you doing something right and all of our officers keep the ink in their pens.”
And keep the parties out of the park at least after dark.