St. Patrick's Day party on Ezra Ave. cost $767K, say officials
CBC News | Posted: April 17, 2019 8:12 PM | Last Updated: April 17, 2019
Police say an estimated 33,000 attended the unsanctioned street party
According to public officials, this year's unsanctioned Ezra Avenue party on St. Patrick's Day in Waterloo cost $767,211 in police, emergency and other city services.
Waterloo Regional Police Service say an estimated 33,000 people attended the party, which was a 47 per cent increase from 2018. Last year, peak attendance was said to be about 22,400.
In a report released at the Police Services Board meeting Wednesday, police say the party "experience its largest crowd ever."
"The costs are unsustainable," said Bryan Larkin, chief of WRPS.
According to a news release sent out by the City of Waterloo, the cost breakdown is:
- WRPS: $286,400.
- City of Waterloo: $90,500.
- Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services: $85,000.
- Wilfrid Laurier University: $295,311.
- University of Waterloo: $10,000.
Larkin said the money could be spent on "better priorities in the community."
- From 2018: How Waterloo's unsanctioned St. Patrick's Day party cost $713K
- Massive 2018 St. Patrick's Day street party prompts community task force
"We clearly have a significant addiction issue, we have mental health strategies that need funding, I think we can do a better job of reallocating those monies than focusing on unsanctioned parties," he said.
Clarifications:- An earlier version of this story mislabeled the location of the street party on Ezra Avenue. April 17, 2019 8:49 PM