City of Hamilton to explore options for bylaw to combat ‘nuisance parties’
Published February 15, 2022 at 2:12 pm
The City of Hamilton is looking to develop a bylaw that could potentially increase the power of authorities to control and disperse crowds and gatherings deemed a nuisance.
Ward 1 Councillor Maureen Wilson introduced a motion at Tuesday’s (Feb. 15) Planning Committee meeting calling for city staff to investigate the municipality’s options for creating a nuisance party bylaw.
The motion points to the ‘fake homecoming’ party held last Fall in Westdale near McMaster that more than 5,000 people attended.
The unsanctioned event caused significant to some local properties, a car was overturned, several people were treated for injuries and two neighbourhoods were left covered in litter and broken glass.
‘Fake’ homecoming parties have become increasingly popular in regions with post-secondary institutions.
Wilson pointed to several schools where ‘homecoming’ festivities have gotten out of hand, including Queen’s in Kingston and Western in London, where hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on the emergency response to the parties, figures that exclude the costs of cleaning up after the party and property damages, Wilson said.
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The motion encourages staff to consult with municipalities struggling with a similar issue, as well as the Hamilton Police Service, McMaster University and “community stakeholders” to identify best practices.
“The bylaw will not be a ‘silver bullet,’” Wilson said in speaking to the motion. “Solutions will have to continue to evolve over time. The pursuit and study of this will be well worth our efforts.”
The motion was supported by the planning committee and will go before council later this month.
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