Legal drinking coming to 8 Ottawa parks starting July 1
Pilot project will run until the end of October
UPDATE: The city has since added an eighth park, Champlain Park, to the pilot project.
The City of Ottawa has designated eight parks that are part of its legal drinking pilot project.
People will be able to drink in designated areas of these parks from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., July 1 to Oct. 31:
- Brewer Park across Bronson Avenue from Carleton University.
- Lansdowne Park's Great Lawn east of the TD Place stadium.
- Minto Park off Elgin Street.
- McNabb Park at Gladstone and Bronson avenues.
- Queenswood Ridge Park near Tenth Line Road and St, Joseph Boulevard in Orléans.
- Riverain and Strathcona parks along the Rideau River near the Adàwe Crossing.
- Champlain Park on Carleton Avenue.
The parks will have signs indicating that public drinking is permitted.
Up to now, alcohol consumption has been banned in all city parks without a permit.
But the provincial government changed regulations in 2019 to allow municipalities to designate public places where drinking is allowed.
Capital ward Coun. Shawn Menard asked city staff to consider implementing a pilot program in Ottawa, and earlier this year they came back with a report laying out the options.
After a few tweaks at committee, the idea got unanimous support at council earlier this month.
According to the text of the bylaw, drinking will not be allowed near beaches, playgrounds, splash pads, pools, skateboard parks, parking lots, ice rinks, sports fields or sanctioned sledding hills.