HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-15-037 - Alcohol Exemption Request - Grand River Amazing RaceStaff Report
I rTC'.�► t .R Community Services Department wmkitchener.ca
REPORT TO: Council
DATE OF MEETING: May 11, 2015
SUBMITTED BY: Mark Hildebrand, Director, Community Programs and Services
519- 741 -2200 ext. 7687
PREPARED BY: Denise Keelan, Manager, Aquatics and Athletics 519 - 741 -2200 ext.
7420
WARD(S) INVOLVED: 1
DATE OF REPORT: April 27, 2015
REPORT NO.: CSD -15 -037
SUBJECT: Municipal Alcohol Policy (1 -325) request for exemption — Grand
River Amazing Race Event
RECOMMENDATION:
That the request for exemption, by the Woolwich Kin Club as attached to CSD -15-
037, from the Municipal Alcohol Policy 1 -325, for the event to be held at Kiwanis
Park on June 20, 2015, not be approved.
BACKGROUND:
The Grand River Amazing Race is a fundraising event held in partnership with the
Woolwich Kin Club of Canada. The event organizers have moved this event to Kiwanis
Park for this year to improve visibility and allow for greater numbers to participate. The
event has raised over $108,400 over the last 3 years. Proceeds from the funds raised
benefits Grand River Hospital- Emergency Department, Kitchener - Waterloo Humane
Society, Woolwich Community Services, Parents for Community Living and Bereaved
Families of Midwestern Ontario. The event is a dynamic and fun experience where
teams maneuver through a series of physical challenges in an outdoor setting.
Attendance at this event is expected to be between 200 — 300 persons.
REPORT:
The Municipal Alcohol Policy 1 -325 was approved by council in July 2014. This policy
identifies a number of city properties that are not suitable for Iicenced events, including
all pool facilities which Kiwanis Park is a part of.
Organizers of the Grand River Amazing Race are requesting an exemption for the event
at Kiwanis Park as outlined in the letter attached to this report. The organizers wish to
* ** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. * **
Please call 519- 741 -2345 or TTY 1- 866 - 969 -9994 for assistance.
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run a beer tent for participants and spectators of the event, location planned for the
upper field area, close to the park entrance.
Staff is not in support of exempting this event from Council Policy 1 -325 for the following
reasons:
1. Alcohol consumption continues to contribute to numerous drownings each year
across Canada and is a significant risk factor in drownings in Ontario. The
proximity of the pool to the proposed beer tent location poses a significant risk.
2. Kiwanis Park can have over 1500 visitors on a warm June day. The park and
pool will not be closed for this event and the ability of staff to recognise the
patrons, or event participants, who have been consuming alcohol and who also
want to swim and /or watch their children while swimming, will be challenging.
Patrons and event participants who access the licenced area and then move
about in the other park areas could pose a risk to themselves and others.
3. Staff have continued to enforce a strict no alcohol policy with patrons to ensure a
safe and risk free swimming environment. Enforcement of no alcohol in some
areas of Kiwanis and not all spaces would be challenging.
Event organizers have been contacted by Aquatic staff and the concerns of having
alcohol in the park have been explained.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
This recommendation supports the Community Priority: Quality of Life. Decisions that
impact the health and safety of our community members should be viewed through a
lens with the health of all participants in mind.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
N/A
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM — This report has been posted to the City's website with the agenda in
advance of the council / committee meeting.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Shayne Turner, Acting Deputy CAO, Community Services
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Denise Keehn,
City of Kitchener
Manager of Aquatics and Athletics for the City of Kitchener
Modeled after the popular Amazing Race television series, race teams of two compete on
foot and canoe to complete challenges to win the race. The real winners are families,
animals and disabled in our communities since funds raised by race participants go directly
to our five selected charities.
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On behalf of this charitable event, I am respectfully requesting that the City provide an
exemption for this year's race. We hope to establish this event as an annual tradition that
attracts racers from across the region, draws our community together and provides a fun
event that helps our charities.
Without an exemption, the race committee would be forced find other means to cover the
online fundraising portal costs and to re-examine its location in 2016.
Thank you very much for your consideration and please let me know if you have any
questions.
Brenda McBay, Shannon Walker & Melanie McNeil
on behalf of the whole Grand River Amazing Race committee
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