The City of St. Albert is looking for community feedback on a draft update of its parks bylaw.
The parks bylaw outlines specific uses for parks in St. Albert and rules for public behaviour. Presented during a public Zoom meeting Nov. 30, draft changes include greater specificity surrounding activities in parks, such as events, clarity on rules for businesses, and the possibility of allowing alcohol consumption permanently in select parks.
Manda Wilde, senior parks development project manager for St. Albert, said changes were in the works prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but have taken on renewed importance as park use has increased over the past year-and-a-half, and as the city looks to grow.
"The city is not proposing to change the parks bylaws to address a whole host of issues or known concerns,” Wilde said. “Instead, it is our intent to ensure that there's the right policy and the right enforcement tools in place to manage the city's park system for the coming decades.”
Wilde said the draft parks bylaw is designed to better align with the city’s growth plans, including the Municipal Development Plan (MDP), a high-level document looking to guide the city’s growth over the next several decades.
Alcohol in parks
One proposed change would permit alcohol consumption in select parks, though Wilde highlighted the project team is taking note of community feedback to inform the ultimate recommendation that comes before council.
From Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, the city ran a pilot alcohol-in-parks program in Lions, Rotary, and Kingswood parks.
During the pilot, park attendees were able to consume alcohol at picnic tables and up to a 25-metre radius at these parks between the hours of 11 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Wilde said public feedback from the pilot was “quite limited,” with 28 respondents participating in an online survey. Eighteen of those respondents supported a permanent alcohol-in-parks program, and nine were opposed to the program entirely.
Only one public operations complaint was received during the pilot, related to a large quantity of bottles and cans left behind at one site, Wilde noted.
One attendee, Mike Dickinson, brought up concerns surrounding drinking and driving. Dickinson noted during St. Albert’s pilot there had been many cars parked outside of parks, whereas in Europe — where drinking in parks is common — cities are more walkable.
“If people were walking [to the park] it would be OK,” Dickinson said. “But, when the parking lot is overflowing, you kind of wonder.”
Wilde said drinking and driving is a concern, but noted it hadn’t been an issue during St. Albert’s pilot.
“The messaging around any kind of program would be responsible consumption,” Wilde said.
Park activities, business
Other potential changes for the parks bylaw touch on events, business, and park activities.
Before the pandemic, the city typically held about 90 events in its parks, Wilde said.
The proposed bylaw would require all events to get city permission before they can take place in a park. An event is defined as a gathering of people within a park that has a predetermined date and time, and requires any of the following: exclusive use of an area of a park, the erection or use of a mobile or temporary structure, liquor service, exemptions to other city bylaws, or road closures.
Wilde said the city currently doesn’t see a lot of conflict with events, but more defined rules will come in handy as St. Albert grows.
While events have not brought much conflict in the past, Wilde said there have been some concerns with businesses setting up shop in parks, for example, not receiving the correct permits, and causing damage to city property.
Accordingly, the city is looking to outline a clearer policy where vendors will need permission from the city to set up shop. Wilde said this would enable vendors that are “compatible with the overall use of the park space” and not in direct competition with existing vendors, such as concessions.
While the draft policy would apply to those setting up tents, parking stalls, and tables, it won’t apply to other types of businesses, such as dog walkers or fitness classes held in sport fields.
As for specific activities that could see greater enforcement in the park according to the draft, drone use will be prohibited just as fire, firearms, fireworks, and explosives already are.
Wilde said this doesn’t change the way people are already allowed to use drones in St. Albert, but will allow bylaw officers to enforce drone use. Currently, this can only be done by the RCMP.
Those looking to learn more about the city’s proposed parks bylaw, or leave feedback, can go to https://conversation.stalbert.ca/parks-bylaw?tool=qanda.
The bylaw will be redrafted in the new year, and is set to be presented to council in spring 2022.
