'Upsetting' to see students gather for street party, University of Guelph VP says

A massive street party near private, off-campus housing in Guelph on Saturday is being denounced by officials at the city and the university.

In a statement, the University of Guelph's interim vice-provost of student affairs Irene Thompson said the vast majority of students did not attend the party on Chancellor's Way and followed pandemic protocols.

"But obviously, the fact that people continue to gather in such large numbers, especially during a pandemic, is upsetting, as is some of the behaviour we are seeing," Thompson said in the news release.

She added that students need "to find the balance between building new connections and having new experiences and being responsible citizens and following public health guidelines amid the fourth wave of COVID-19."

Police in Guelph deployed extra officers to Chancellor's Way, which is located just west of the university's campus. 

Police said in a news release on Saturday that city bylaw officers had issued their first fine of $365 for a noisy gathering just after 12 p.m.

Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., police and bylaw attended more than 106 calls for service. That included 28 noise complaints and 15 calls for people having open liquor outdoors. 

Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie tweeted at people taking part in the parties, saying "enjoy the fines and upcoming academic discipline hearings you rightly deserve."

University of Guelph president Charlotte Yates said in a statement that she was disappointed at how many students appeared to have attended the unsanctioned party and the behaviour that was observed at it.

"It is unfortunate that the actions of some people distract us from the many wonderful and important contributions the university and our students make to the life and energy of this city," Yates said.

No large party in Waterloo

Meanwhile in Waterloo, there was no massive party on Ezra Avenue as has been seen in years past during Homecoming weekend. That may be largely due to bright yellow fencing that lined the street, preventing people from gathering on the roadway.

Officials, including the region's medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, had encouraged students not to take part in large parties to curb spread of COVID-19 and in particular, the highly transmissible delta variant. Wang has said previously that even people with both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine can still become sick and can transmit the virus to other people.

Waterloo bylaw officers handed out about 19 tickets over the course of the weekend.

Preliminary numbers suggest there were 10 noise bylaw charges and one nuisance bylaw charge, a City of Waterloo spokesperson told CBC K-W in an email.

"We were very pleased that was no unsanctioned street gathering, and that most students followed the gathering limits and city bylaws. For those that didn't, charges were laid," said Nicole Papke, director, Municipal Enforcement Services, in an email. 

"We hope that the respect the students showed for our enforcement team and our community continues throughout the school year."

Earlier this month, city council implemented a special public nuisance bylaw from September 24 to 26, coinciding with homecoming events. The temporary bylaw allowed officers to take action on any time of the day, rather than only in the evening. 

There were also eight charges related to the Reopening Ontario Act, which covers gathering limits. The city said at least one of those charges was related to a party on Saturday.