Pubdate: Mon, 15 Feb 2016
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Tiffany Crawford
Page: A5

PARK BOARD FUMES OVER POT PROTEST

Organizers Say Sunset Beach Was Suggested to Them by City Staff

Organizers of the annual 4/20 pot protest in Vancouver plan to move 
it to Sunset Beach from the Vancouver Art Gallery this year. But the 
idea of thousands of demonstrators lighting up on a no-smoking beach 
doesn't sit well with the Vancouver park board.

Park board chair Sarah Kirby-Yung said Saturday the board is drafting 
a letter to Mayor Gregor Robertson outlining their concerns, 
specifically that demonstrators will violate the city's smoking 
bylaws, block popular amenities in the area such as the seawall, the 
Aquatic Centre, and a nearby daycare for children. There's also worry 
the park may be damaged, and safety fears over the proximity of the 
event to the water.

"The board feels very strongly that this is not an appropriate site 
for this event," she said, adding that the city made recommendations 
to 4/20 organizers without proper consultation with the park board, 
which has jurisdiction of Sunset Beach, off Beach Drive. "Given the 
nature of this event, it wouldn't qualify for a permit."

Kirby-Yung would like to see the unsanctioned event, which drew more 
than 20,000 people to the downtown core last April, take place at 
either Larwill Park, where the FIFA Women's World Cup events were 
held, or on the Concord Pacific-owned land near the viaducts.

"We respect people's rights to gather and protest, but this is really 
not what this event is. It has turned into a festival with booths and 
vendors. They are acting like a festival without getting permits," she said.

However, 4/20 organizer and marijuana activist Jodie Emery disagrees, 
and says while marijuana continues to be illegal in Canada, they will 
continue to protest prohibition.

Although Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised to legalize the 
recreational use of marijuana, Emery said Mounties in many cities are 
still raiding medical cannabis dispensaries, so there is still much to protest.

"Why would (police) arrest people for pot when (the government) 
intends for them to have it legally? There is still a lot of 
concern," Emery said.

As for the location, she said organizers met with city staff, and 
they recommended two sites: either a parking lot under the south side 
of the Cambie Street bridge or Sunset Beach.

"We went with the one that's most appropriate for our needs," Emery 
said. "This is where Pride is held, and so it is suitable. ... It's a 
nice open-air space."

There are two main reasons for the move away from the Art Gallery, 
where the event has been held for more than 20 years. One is because 
the event has grown too large for the downtown core, and the second 
is because the north plaza of the Vancouver Art Gallery is to undergo 
renovations this spring.

Emery said that through donations, 4/20 organizers will pay for first 
aid attendants, security personnel, insurance and toilets, and said 
organizers will have radios to communicate with police.

Kirby-Yung hopes the city will work with 4/20 organizers to find 
another location, but if the event goes ahead at Sunset, the park 
board will work with the Vancouver police to ensure safety measures 
are in place, and will expect lifeguards will be on site.

"It's really up to police how they enforce the smoking bylaw. When 
you have thousands of people, it's a major challenge for police," she said.

Park rangers can also enforce the no-smoking bylaw and hand out 
tickets, which are a minimum of $250. But Kirby-Yung said because 
this event is so large they won't jeopardize the rangers' safety, and 
will defer to the police for crowd control and law enforcement.

Last year, Vancouver police announced they would go after promoters 
of unsanctioned events to recover policing costs, after costs for the 
4/20 and May Day events in the city swelled to tens of thousands of dollars.

The city's tally for 4/20 costs last year was $93,000, according to 
city spokesman Jag Sandhu.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom