St. Patrick's celebrations

[jeffster]

I will agree that saying Ezra has ZERO economic benefits is wrong, but I would also say the benefits would be minimal.

Yes, out of towners booked hotels.  Taxi and Uber drivers likely made bank.  "Some" alcohol would of been purchased at local beer stores/LCBO's, but a fair number would of came in on the school buses too (Those buses likely rented in the municipality in which they reside).  But other than that, I couldn't see much to stimulate our economy.  (I would also doubt restaurants benefited, with the exception of any Taco Bell's or McD's open at 3 am)

Coke

You forgot about Mel's Diner, and local night clubs. Who also increased cover cost, knowing how busy they were going to be by literally doubling he price. If you saw the line at one of the night clubs you would think they were lining up for Michael Jackson as he came back to life.

But do we know this? Have you worked in the industry? I have. And it's not a boon at all. St. Patrick's day should be a good day to most places regardless of the Ezra event, but having done work for an owner that operates in that area (20 years), the year-over-year sales have *decreased* rather than increase over the past few years. Why? Because of this unsanctioned party. St. Paddy's, along with homecoming, was the cash cow. Now St. Patrick's is like any other day. Why would someone go to a restaurant and pay $5+ per drink, when they a beer will cost them $1.50 on Ezra?

It's not a matter of 'old folks' not wanting the younger crowd to have fun. What the issue is is the cost to region for an event that is not helpful, nor open, to really anyone. If it was revenue positive, you would have heard about it by now. If there was a benefit to the region, you'd have heard about it by now.

As for underage drinking, that is not OK. And the drain on the services is not OK. Just remember, when an ambulance is picking up another drunk student, that's time taken away potentially from someone that needs medical help. It's not a matter of "if" but "when" something happens. This is referred to as a "Code Red" -- when a ambulance is not available for dispatch. If you think that a students right to party illegally is more important than having emergency services available, then you really need to give you head a shake. Personally, I'm not OK with ambulances wasting their time picking up drunks when some senior on the other side of the city is having a heart attack...or if some kid gets run over by a car.

619 charges laid this year for the Ezra event. Now we have the courts all tied up. I don't have the current numbers for other events, for example, Oktoberfest, but IIRC, it was less than 100.

If the Laurier and Waterloo want to team up and hire paramedics, security, police, etc., and leave the region out of it, I'm fine with that. They can set up a tent somewhere to deal with passed out students and leave Grand River Hospital and St. Mary's out of it too. But guess what, that would never happen because it would create major legal issues if something happened.

Sorry, but no excuse for the illegal party. Make it legal, raise funds for charity, charge admission, open it to everyone, have it licensed, etc. Bingeman's has their Everafterfest, and that's mostly geared to 18-25 year olds, who actually are coming from all over Canada and US and bring real benefits to the city and region, (despite some angry locals at having loud music blaring past 6PM).

[jordan2423]

You forgot about Mel's Diner, and local night clubs. Who also increased cover cost, knowing how busy they were going to be by literally doubling he price. If you saw the line at one of the night clubs you would think they were lining up for Michael Jackson as he came back to life.

But do we know this?  Have you worked in the industry? I have. And it's not a boon at all. St. Patrick's day should be a good day to most places regardless of the Ezra event, but having done work for an owner that operates in that area (20 years), the year-over-year sales have *decreased* rather than increase over the past few years. Why? Because of this unsanctioned party. St. Paddy's, along with homecoming, was the cash cow. Now St. Patrick's is like any other day.  Why would someone go to a restaurant and pay $5+ per drink, when they a beer will cost them $1.50 on Ezra?

It's not a matter of 'old folks' not wanting the younger crowd to have fun.  What the issue is is the cost to region for an event that is not helpful, nor open, to really anyone.  If it was revenue positive, you would have heard about it by now. If there was a benefit to the region, you'd have heard about it by now.

As for underage drinking, that is not OK.  And the drain on the services is not OK. Just remember, when an ambulance is picking up another drunk student, that's time taken away potentially from someone that needs medical help.  It's not a matter of "if" but "when" something happens. This is referred to as a "Code Red" -- when a ambulance is not available for dispatch. If you think that a students right to party illegally is more important than having emergency services available, then you really need to give you head a shake. Personally, I'm not OK with ambulances wasting their time picking up drunks when some senior on the other side of the city is having a heart attack...or if some kid gets run over by a car.

619 charges laid this year for the Ezra event. Now we have the courts all tied up. I don't have the current numbers for other events, for example, Oktoberfest, but IIRC, it was less than 100.

If the Laurier and Waterloo want to team up and hire paramedics, security, police, etc., and leave the region out of it, I'm fine with that. They can set up a tent somewhere to deal with passed out students and leave Grand River Hospital and St. Mary's out of it too.  But guess what, that would never happen because it would create major legal issues if something happened.

Sorry, but no excuse for the illegal party. Make it legal, raise funds for charity, charge admission, open it to everyone, have it licensed, etc.  Bingeman's has their Everafterfest, and that's mostly geared to 18-25 year olds, who actually are coming from all over Canada and US and bring real benefits to the city and region, (despite some angry locals at having loud music blaring past 6PM).

First of all, "hearing about it by now" is just an assumption you made to believe to be true, with nothing backing it.
Secondly, Mr. Strawman, I never said students have the right to party illegally. 

If you actually read what I wrote, I said the city should make it a sanctioned even ON Ezra, because the fact of the matter is, attempting to get students off of Ezra isn't going to work, understand?

So yes, sanction the event on Ezra, but don't sanction it in the way where you only have a short window of oppurtunity to enter the event with a ticket, and don't sanction it in a way that if you leave the event you're not allowed to get in. These are all things that aren't going to work. Understand?

Here's a great idea i found on reddit:

It is time to pave the cow path:

There’s a great pattern developing in Waterloo:

• Talk about how bad it is that Erza Ave is a crazy party on St Patrick’s day
  
  
• Rattle some sabres about how it wont be tolerated anymore
  
  
• The city devotes their twitter feed to being safe on St. Patrick’s day for the week prior. (Which seems odd, their twitter following seems more “parents wondering when summer camp registration starts” and less “students looking to party”)
  
  
• It’s an uncontrolled party: Drone Footage, 22,000 attendees, 614 charges laid, 52 hospitalized, 1 in critical condition (and that's just what you get from the /r/waterloo front page) 
  

My proposal: Pave the cow path. People show up there, people want to party there. Rather than try to shut it down, make it a great party:

• Close the street
  
  
• Allow drinking on the street for people of age with a wrist band (costs $1, bring your ID to the booth at either end of the street)
  
  
• Invite food & drink vendors
  
  
• Invite apartment buildings to rent out their parking lots to vendors
  
  
• Throw up a music stage or two 
  
  
• Put up a first aid tent
  
  
• Use money from vendor licenses & wrist bands to help pay for private security.
  

Is that the best place in the city for that party to take place? No. But the party remains there despite the city’s best efforts. Rather than failing to shut it down, make it a little better, and a lot safer.

[jeffster]

But do we know this?  Have you worked in the industry? I have. And it's not a boon at all. St. Patrick's day should be a good day to most places regardless of the Ezra event, but having done work for an owner that operates in that area (20 years), the year-over-year sales have *decreased* rather than increase over the past few years. Why? Because of this unsanctioned party. St. Paddy's, along with homecoming, was the cash cow. Now St. Patrick's is like any other day.  Why would someone go to a restaurant and pay $5+ per drink, when they a beer will cost them $1.50 on Ezra?

It's not a matter of 'old folks' not wanting the younger crowd to have fun.  What the issue is is the cost to region for an event that is not helpful, nor open, to really anyone.  If it was revenue positive, you would have heard about it by now. If there was a benefit to the region, you'd have heard about it by now.

As for underage drinking, that is not OK.  And the drain on the services is not OK. Just remember, when an ambulance is picking up another drunk student, that's time taken away potentially from someone that needs medical help.  It's not a matter of "if" but "when" something happens. This is referred to as a "Code Red" -- when a ambulance is not available for dispatch. If you think that a students right to party illegally is more important than having emergency services available, then you really need to give you head a shake. Personally, I'm not OK with ambulances wasting their time picking up drunks when some senior on the other side of the city is having a heart attack...or if some kid gets run over by a car.

619 charges laid this year for the Ezra event. Now we have the courts all tied up. I don't have the current numbers for other events, for example, Oktoberfest, but IIRC, it was less than 100.

If the Laurier and Waterloo want to team up and hire paramedics, security, police, etc., and leave the region out of it, I'm fine with that. They can set up a tent somewhere to deal with passed out students and leave Grand River Hospital and St. Mary's out of it too.  But guess what, that would never happen because it would create major legal issues if something happened.

Sorry, but no excuse for the illegal party. Make it legal, raise funds for charity, charge admission, open it to everyone, have it licensed, etc.  Bingeman's has their Everafterfest, and that's mostly geared to 18-25 year olds, who actually are coming from all over Canada and US and bring real benefits to the city and region, (despite some angry locals at having loud music blaring past 6PM).

First of all, "hearing about it by now" is just an assumption you made to believe to be true, with nothing backing it.
Secondly, Mr. Strawman, I never said students have the right to party illegally. 

If you actually read what I wrote, I said the city should make it a sanctioned even ON Ezra, because the fact of the matter is, attempting to get students off of Ezra isn't going to work, understand?

So yes, sanction the event on Ezra, but don't sanction it in the way where you only have a short window of oppurtunity to enter the event with a ticket, and don't sanction it in a way that if you leave the event you're not allowed to get in. These are all things that aren't going to work. Understand?

Here's a great idea i found on reddit:

It is time to pave the cow path:

There’s a great pattern developing in Waterloo:

• Talk about how bad it is that Erza Ave is a crazy party on St Patrick’s day
  
  
• Rattle some sabres about how it wont be tolerated anymore
  
  
• The city devotes their twitter feed to being safe on St. Patrick’s day for the week prior. (Which seems odd, their twitter following seems more “parents wondering when summer camp registration starts” and less “students looking to party”)
  
  
• It’s an uncontrolled party: Drone Footage, 22,000 attendees, 614 charges laid, 52 hospitalized, 1 in critical condition (and that's just what you get from the /r/waterloo front page) 
  

My proposal: Pave the cow path. People show up there, people want to party there. Rather than try to shut it down, make it a great party:

• Close the street
  
  
• Allow drinking on the street for people of age with a wrist band (costs $1, bring your ID to the booth at either end of the street)
  
  
• Invite food & drink vendors
  
  
• Invite apartment buildings to rent out their parking lots to vendors
  
  
• Throw up a music stage or two 
  
  
• Put up a first aid tent
  
  
• Use money from vendor licenses & wrist bands to help pay for private security.
  

Is that the best place in the city for that party to take place? No. But the party remains there despite the city’s best efforts. Rather than failing to shut it down, make it a little better, and a lot safer.

First, stop calling me "Mr. Straw Man"...what are you? 15 years old??

Secondly, you keep making the point that this is an Ezra event that is going to happen no matter what (and with the growing crowds), with the region needing to embrace this event. This is the issue. If the City of Waterloo (or the region) were to make this an official event, and to do this on Ezra, and to do it in a professional and legal manner, one that is inclusive, then it *might* kill the 'vibe' that you speak fondly of.

Reasons why Ezra is popular:

1) Underage drinking is allowed [If it was an official event, drinking age would be 19]
2) Unlimited drinking (no one has Smart Serve training) [At an official event, bar tenders would stop serving if customer is too intoxicated]
3) Alcohol is cheap or free (tall boys are $2 at the LCBO, cases of 24 beer start at $33 at The Beer Store). [Event would be $6-8 per drink at least, difficult and expensive to purchase drinks for others]
4) No crowd control (the more the merrier) [Event organizers would have to limit crowds to safe capacity]
5) Ezra in an exclusive event (mostly students and perhaps a few of their friends) [Event would be inclusive, so enter creep factor with 30+ year olds showing up to gawk at 19 year olds).
6) Little to no cost to host Ezra (as it is quite informal) [A real event would cost thousands, more if they included live music, medical staff, etc., who pays?]
7) Public intoxication/street drinking is permitted [By-laws would need to change to allow drinking on the street - perhaps entire street can be fenced in]

If I am a 20 year-old student, which do you think I prefer? I think I know your answer, same as mine, I'd want the informal, free-for-all, event. I don't want no stamp or bracelet, $6+ drink (plus TIP!), strict crown control, being cut off after 3 drinks because I have speech problems. I sure the hell don't want 30, 40, 50, 60 year olds around me acting like they own the place. If I am 18 years old, well, to hell with an official event totally, who wants their first year party ruined by stupid drinking laws?

See, the appeal to Ezra. I'm not too old not to understand. I am also old enough to realize the massive risk that this event places on the entire region. Financial's besides, it's only money; but it's the risk of having services disrupted, or unavailable, that make to too dangerous to allow the event to continue. Bryan Larkin figured he'd get the crown under control this year. I knew he wouldn't. I shouldn't have knows that he'd be wrong, as he's the expert, not me. Perhaps he's simply not in touch with his youthful side.

The only solution that I can see, aside from shutting it down completely:

1) Event remains exclusive, AKA, private event. (students, and friends/family of students (like 1 year older sibling).
2) The city of Waterloo, and perhaps the region of Waterloo, help pay to organize the event.
3) Laurier/Waterloo student body subsidize alcohol (not-for-profit alcohol).
4) Smart Serve trained bar tenders. Everything is ticket based, no tips. Revenue from ticket sales bank for next party.
5) Enlarge to include neighbouring streets. Universities absorb the costs of fencing in. This allows for large crowds, but safe capacity.
6) Medical staff is hired to help with the event. A triage and treatment tent set-up off site but nearby. Only critically sick sent to hospital (IIRC, that would be 2).
7) Allow for some food trucks.
8) Allow for other vendors, IF, this is what the student body wants.
9) Live music, if this is what the student body wants.

By keeping the event 'private' you avoid the creep factor. The crowds, even if 'larger' might appear smaller as they will be in a larger area.

Only real issue, how to fence in. People go from house to house, onto street, back and forth...

Otherwise, if they can't do that, this event has to go.

[ijmorlan]

5) Ezra in an exclusive event (mostly students and perhaps a few of their friends) [Event would be inclusive, so enter creep factor with 30+ year olds showing up to gawk at 19 year olds).

How is it exclusive? Anybody can just go to the street. Are “creeps” a big problem at Oktoberfest?

Overall, I think you have some good points, but I think this point in particular is more than a bit of a stretch.

Otherwise, if they can't do that, this event has to go.

What does this actually mean? As I mentioned previously, it is legal to have a party in ones apartment and to walk around outside. How can you legally cancel an event that isn’t an actual event, has no single organizer, and isn’t really much more than a bunch of people all deciding to go to the same place at the same time?

[jeffster]

5) Ezra in an exclusive event (mostly students and perhaps a few of their friends) [Event would be inclusive, so enter creep factor with 30+ year olds showing up to gawk at 19 year olds).

How is it exclusive? Anybody can just go to the street. Are “creeps” a big problem at Oktoberfest?

Overall, I think you have some good points, but I think this point in particular is more than a bit of a stretch.

Otherwise, if they can't do that, this event has to go.

What does this actually mean? As I mentioned previously, it is legal to have a party in ones apartment and to walk around outside. How can you legally cancel an event that isn’t an actual event, has no single organizer, and isn’t really much more than a bunch of people all deciding to go to the same place at the same time?

I'm sure there are some creeps at Oktoberfest. However, people going there are between 19 and 99+. I am sure you still have old (mostly guys) trying to pick up girls 20+ years younger than them, but it probably wouldn't be as major a problem.

Ezra is exclusive because it's geared towards university students only. Unless I am wrong, other than police and medical staff, I don't think you're seeing a lot of old ones (let's say 25 and up) hanging out there.

By-laws in Waterloo normally prevent people from taking over a street. Just enforce by-laws. Start ticketing people. Anyone drinking on the street, arrest them and take them downtown (or I guess it would be Weber St). We need to keep in mind that this event is a risk, and very expensive on our resources, not to mention dangerous because of "Code Red"'s happening.

I have no problem with this being event being run as a non-profit, exclusive event, with Waterloo setting aside by-laws for the day, and hell, perhaps extending the area being used. Exclusive in the sense that you must be a student to enter, or be friends/family of a student and come in as a guest. You would still need Smart Serve bartenders, but drinks could be purchased at or near cost (50¢ profit perhaps). Extending it (beyond Ezra) to allow for crowds in excess of 20,000 (and this probably is only an issue if the day falls on a weekend and/or warm day). Adjusting laws for the day as well to allow street-wide drinking. Small entry fee's ($2) and small profits perhaps on drinks should be enough to cover costs of police services and medical services. So say you have 20,000 show up, that's $40,000 for entry fee's, if each has 6 drinks, that $3 profit which is another $60,000, so $100,000 altogether. Medical itself could be onsite, run by volunteers, with proper triage, and most likely in the end, you'll end up with 1 or 2 people at the most going to the hospital. To keep it non-profit, any proceeds are given to a local charity.

Even with all that, it might still kill the "vibe" the OP was talking about. If that's the case, then I guess the event goes away. Or perhaps it still continues, but is simply no longer out of control. Or...perhaps it becomes a huge success and then everyone is happy.

[jordan2423]

5) Ezra in an exclusive event (mostly students and perhaps a few of their friends) [Event would be inclusive, so enter creep factor with 30+ year olds showing up to gawk at 19 year olds).

How is it exclusive? Anybody can just go to the street. Are “creeps” a big problem at Oktoberfest?

Overall, I think you have some good points, but I think this point in particular is more than a bit of a stretch.

Otherwise, if they can't do that, this event has to go.

What does this actually mean? As I mentioned previously, it is legal to have a party in ones apartment and to walk around outside. How can you legally cancel an event that isn’t an actual event, has no single organizer, and isn’t really much more than a bunch of people all deciding to go to the same place at the same time?

"event has to go"
Right, just like it has to go for the past how many years? not going to happen buddy...

And all those points you listed about what the city would have to do on ezra to make it an event, and how it would be unpopular with the students.........
Isn't that the point? Aren't people like you wishing that  this Ezra thing gets shut down? You've literally listed all these points on why you think the city sanctioning the event ON Ezra will make the point of Ezra mute, but you fail to realize this is actually the solution to Stop 22,000+ students off Ezra. Or perhaps the students comply and the city becomes successful and actually makes loads of money off it.

Calling an argument a straw man argument isn't being 15 years old. Being 15 years old is trying to argue points that 
i didn't even bring up in order to make you feel like you've "won" the argument...

[jamincan]

Calling an argument a straw man argument isn't being 15 years old. Being 15 years old is trying to argue points that 
i didn't even bring up in order to make you feel like you've "won" the argument...

With all due respect, calling someone "Mr. Strawman" is juvenile and quite different from pointing out their argument is a strawman.

[Pheidippides]

Fencing in that large and potential unruly of a crowd is asking for people to be stampeded to death. There is a reason that buildings, restaurants, bars, and even Oktoberfest tents have capacity limits.

Maybe the community should just have a giant roaming road hockey tournament that takes over the street before the party starts (and goes wherever the party goes).

[jordan2423]

Calling an argument a straw man argument isn't being 15 years old. Being 15 years old is trying to argue points that 
i didn't even bring up in order to make you feel like you've "won" the argument...

With all due respect, calling someone "Mr. Strawman" is juvenile and quite different from pointing out their argument is a strawman.

Well you are definitely entitled to your opinion.

[Tealeaf]

The Ezra party is unstoppable and to try to do so would be even more dangerous and expensive than anything. And I think this is a good thing. It really speaks to the inner libertarian. I mean we have to learn about all these abstract philosophies and ideals we'll never care about for the rest of our lives or get to put into practical use.....might as well get a brief period one day of the year to have a case study.

The Ezra party attracts more than enough population to be declared a town. I say this half sarcastically. That's the will of a lot of people to stop. It would take no less than a military response to completely halt the Ezra party; and that's just that particular location. You now have 20,000 like-minded people who will be pissed and take it somewhere else. All the issues will simply migrate or - worse - split into different areas.

In terms of harm reduction, Ezra is a pretty good deal. You have everybody willing to stay in a localized area. Yes this is a public street but in non-legal (realistic) terms, is it really? There is not a single residence of "real" people on Ezra, Clayfield, or the whole non-Laurier side Bricker. No not every student likes the party but a massive majority (near totality) are either pro-party or neutral. There's no pressing need whatsoever for the community at large to use these streets for anything. And indeed day-by-day does any non-student ever even pay attention to these areas any more than a passing on King or Albert? Sure it's still not the safest thing but could you ask for any better place for it to happen?

Emergency costs: Well at least we can say Ezra is a direct route straight to the first hospital. Yes it's a strain but let it serve as perhaps a good disaster preparedness drill. It at least has the element of safety in that we know it's coming and that most alcohol related admissions just require time to sober up rather than a lengthy stay with serious injuries.

Laws: Almost all laws broken pertain to alcohol and the government has already instituted a monopoly to pay for this anyway. The millions of dollars in liquor sales for this day are going somewhere right?
Aside from that, 99+% of attendees are good-natured and just out for a good time. The very few scumbags are dealt with swiftly and harshly and rightfully so. They are the ones the police should be after and really for 20,000+ people they are very few. This year I hear of one troupe of complete scumbag cowardice that were out simply looking to surround and gang beat people. The police were tipped off by others and they were promptly removed. That could just have likely happened on a dark street at any time though.
Also the fact that there hasn't been a riot or any serious violent outburst other than some idiots throwing bottles at times shows that Waterloo Region has class. People coming here remember that and tend to chose to hold up that value. Unlike those fools down in London....

It has a self-clean-up mechanism that is miraculous. If someone arrived back at Ezra in the late AM the next day and was told there was a 20,000+ street party there just 18 or so hours earlier you'd have a hard time convincing them. There's money to be made in those empties and it's a gold mine for anyone who wants to go clean them up. The students clean up the rest of the remaining garbage. It certainly doesn't leave a lasting litter impact like any other festival.

There was also a significant collection of older people who came to the region this year just to check it out. No doubt they put money into local hotels and venues. I assume they just wanted to feel young again and in turn they provide a bit of stability in the crowds as well just as a non-authoritarian senior presence.

As someone who's partied and worked Ezra, I think it's safe to say it will not be shut down. It just isn't possible without spending far more money and incurring far more injuries. Again, it is no exaggeration that you would have to bring in the Canadian Armed Forces to totally stop this party. And then it would just span out like pouring water on a grease fire.

Also it irritates me every time I see it. The place is called Ezra AVENUE, not Street.

[ijmorlan]

The Ezra party is unstoppable and to try to do so would be even more dangerous and expensive than anything. And I think this is a good thing. It really speaks to the inner libertarian. I mean we have to learn about all these abstract philosophies and ideals we'll never care about for the rest of our lives or get to put into practical use.....might as well get a brief period one day of the year to have a case study.

[...]
As someone who's partied and worked Ezra, I think it's safe to say it will not be shut down. It just isn't possible without spending far more money and incurring far more injuries. Again, it is no exaggeration that you would have to bring in the Canadian Armed Forces to totally stop this party. And then it would just span out like pouring water on a grease fire.

Also it irritates me every time I see it. The place is called Ezra AVENUE, not Street.

Great comment, well said! We need more thinking along these lines.

Thanks also for the little fact-check at the end. I thought it was Street myself. Interestingly, I took a look around in Google Maps and it seems there are no Avenues in the vicinity, except for the three Bricker/Clayfield/Ezra.

Another weird factual thing about the party: recent news has talked about the “first” time it was big, in the last few years. But I believe there has been a significant St. Patrick’s party there for many years, and I recall many years ago, maybe 20 or so, there being some sort of riot associated with it. I don’t think this is something that just started in the last few years. I wish a news article would dig into the history once in a while. It might be interesting to know how this issue developed over time.

[timc]

Thanks also for the little fact-check at the end. I thought it was Street myself. Interestingly, I took a look around in Google Maps and it seems there are no Avenues in the vicinity, except for the three Bricker/Clayfield/Ezra.

Except for University Avenue, of course. :-)

In most cities, I think the naming of these streets would be considered odd. But this is Waterloo, where nothing makes sense.

But I believe there has been a significant St. Patrick’s party there for many years, and I recall many years ago, maybe 20 or so, there being some sort of riot associated with it. I don’t think this is something that just started in the last few years.

Are you maybe thinking of Homecoming?

https://thecord.ca/when-homecoming-parti...t-of-hand/

[ijmorlan]

Thanks also for the little fact-check at the end. I thought it was Street myself. Interestingly, I took a look around in Google Maps and it seems there are no Avenues in the vicinity, except for the three Bricker/Clayfield/Ezra.

Except for University Avenue, of course. :-)

In most cities, I think the naming of these streets would be considered odd. But this is Waterloo, where nothing makes sense.

I know in some places the streets go one way and the avenues the other. But not here. Here everything goes every which way.

There are avenues elsewhere — in uptown for example there is Avondale Ave., for example, and several others, not to mention many others further from Uptown. But right in the core Uptown area it’s mostly streets.

But I believe there has been a significant St. Patrick’s party there for many years, and I recall many years ago, maybe 20 or so, there being some sort of riot associated with it. I don’t think this is something that just started in the last few years.

Are you maybe thinking of Homecoming?

https://thecord.ca/when-homecoming-parti...t-of-hand/

I’m pretty sure I’m thinking of Ezra Avenue. Actually, to be honest I’m thinking of Ezra Street, but that doesn’t exist in this city. I’m guessing we’re talking late-90s. I remember visiting someone on the street (pardon me, avenue!) years ago and thinking “oh, this is where they have those crazy parties”.

[KevinL]

Sometimes there's a system for avenues/streets/roads, etc, and sometimes there isn't one. In this area, there isn't one.

[jeffster]

you know what? let them have their party..just don't have any police presence or ambulances available. it'll take care of itself within a year.