Waterloo holds St. Patrick's Day tent party to ease crowding

The City of Waterloo says it is partnering up with Waterloo Regional Police and EMS, the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University to hold a tented St. Patrick's Day party. 

The move is an effort to avoid a repeat of last year's massive celebrations on Ezra Avenue. 

Megan Harris, the city's communications director, says event planning company XL Lifestyle will be organizing and promoting the tented event, which will take place in a parking lot next to the KW Granite Club. The event is being sponsored by the city, Laurier and UW. 

The event will be offering alcohol, and Harris says students will be checked for identification. 

Harris added student neighbourhoods will be extensively patrolled throughout the day. 

"We have an action plan in place to monitor Ezra Avenue," said Harris. "That's a large increased enforcement presence between regional police, EMS, municipal bylaw enforcement and fire services."