Dal hoping to keep a lid on homecoming celebrations this year

Dal looks to crack down on parties Measures come as school prepares for homecoming celebrations. Heidi Petracek reports.

Dalhousie University is taking measures to keep partying under control as homecoming celebrations begin Thursday.

Last year, an off-campus street party brought out thousands of students and a large police response.

The university and police plan to ensure festivities don't get out of hand again this year.

Last year, police responded and arrested and charged 30 students.

“It was chaotic,” said Elizabeth Hughes, who lives on the street where things got rowdy.

She's glad to hear the university is taking preventative measures.

“From the response we’ve had since, I’m quite confident that they are going to do their best that that doesn't happen again, so I can't say I'm worried,” she said.

Dalhousie University is working with police to keep things “safe and responsible” off campus.

That's included visiting students and other people living near Dal -- with a message.

“We see ourselves as a good neighbour, we're asking the same of you,” said Brian Leadbetter, the director of communications and public relations with Dalhousie University. “Please be courteous to your neighbours."

Halifax Regional Police already patrol key neighborhoods near campus. For homecoming, the force is adding more resources and expanding its hours.

Const. John MacLeod of the Halifax regional police says the force plans to have “high visibility so that people in the area can, one, know we're there (and) to prevent things from getting out of control , and, two, so that other people know we're there and if they need us they can call us.”

The Dalhousie Student Union (DSU) has also created its own celebration event on campus, which includes a licensed tent for those 19 and older.

The president of the DSU hopes giving a students a place to go will help, even if it’s only open Saturday from 11 am to 4 in the afternoon.

“Students, if they feel like they want to celebrate being a Dal student in this way, they can come to our licensed space and do that in a safe environment,” said Aaron Prosperof the DSU.

Hughes says she’s satisfied with the plan and doesn't think she'll see a repeat of last year here this time around.

While Dalhousie University and the Halifax Regional Police are hoping this weekend will be a quiet one, police say if residents are concerned about noise or anything else, they can call the non-emergency dispatch number and, of course, if there is an emergency, they should call 911.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Heidi Petracek.