Waterloo council designates Homecoming weekend for nuisance bylaw noise provision
Posted Sep 14, 2021 11:00:00 AM.
Aiming to get ahead of possible unsanctioned public gatherings, the City of Waterloo has added another tool to its enforcement arsenal ahead of Homecoming weekend later this month.
Waterloo council voted unanimously Monday to designate September 24-26 this year as a “designated time” for the city's nuisance bylaw noise provision to be in effect.
This coincides with Homecoming weekend celebrations for both the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University.
That bylaw is typically in effect during March 16-18 each year to address concerns stemming form unsanctioned St. Patrick's Day celebrations typically seen in Waterloo's university district.
The nuisance bylaw is used to address public nuisance concerns related to noise from unsanctioned public gatherings and large crowds that typically gather on roadways, among other concerns.
Waterloo Mayor Dave Jaworsky referred to the bylaw change as an opportunity for the community to indicate that large gatherings during the Homecoming season are not welcomed.
The change in the bylaw comes as Regional Police report they've issued over 200 charges through their “Project Safe Semester” initiative, including nearly 100 under the Liquor Licence Act.
In addition, police report they've responded to “several large gatherings” in the university district this month, at one point encountering a crowd of over 1,000 attendees.
