City of Ottawa seeks feedback on booze in parks pilot project

Five people wearing Ottawa Redblacks jerseys cheers to one another with beers on the Great Lawn at Lansdowne Park with the Agriculture Building in the background.

The City of Ottawa’s alcohol in parks pilot project ended Friday after four months and now staff want to hear how it went.

Over the summer, people were allowed to drink alcohol in eight parks across Ottawa, including the Great Lawn at Lansdowne Park. The pilot project included several restrictions on where in the parks and when alcoholic drinks were allowed. The project ran from July 1 to Oct. 31.

Now that the pilot project has ended, the city says standard bylaws apply to all parks, which typically prohibit alcohol consumption, except at events with a park rental permit and a special occasion permit.

In the first month of the project, the city said it received zero complaints about the project in designated parks but did issue warnings for open alcohol consumption in non-designated parks.

The City of Ottawa is now seeking feedback on the pilot project. Anyone who has thoughts on the consumption of alcohol in parks is asked to contact [e-mail].

The designated parks where alcohol was allowed this summer were:

• Minto Park on Lewis Street
• McNabb Park on Percy Street
• Queenswood Ridge Park on Kennedy Lane East
• Lansdowne Park - Great Lawn
• Riverain Park on North River Road
• Strathcona Park on Range Road
• Brewer Park on Brewer Way
• Champlain Park

During the pilot, the Ottawa Redblacks hosted its first ever tailgate party at Lansdowne Park, where fans were able to enjoy a beer before the game.

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