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Booze ban keeps sites serene: Province
Splash. Bash
Temporary liquor bans in place at nine of the province’s 250 parks
Collin Opper, facility foreman of the City of Edmonton, says that Mill Creek pool is 99 per cent ready and will be open to the public this Saturday. NANCY GORDY/FOR METRO
Have a ball at Mill Creek’s pool party
This Saturday, the outdoor pool at Mill Creek, located at 9555–84 Ave., will host a Mill Creek Splash Bash from noon to 4 p.m., with free ice cream and plenty of fun to be had.
Campers may not appreciate longweekend liquor bans but according to the province, the ban on booze is working. Since 2004, when the temporary liquor-ban program was first implemented, unacceptable behaviours such as impaired driving, assaults and vandalism have decreased in these areas by an average of 90 per cent, according to a provincial spokesperson. “The reduction of about 90 per cent has shown us that it has been an effective way to still allow people to enjoy the parks over the long weekend but still make it safe and friendly for everyone,” said Erin Larson of Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation. Larson said the decision to enforce a ban is based on previous incidents at particular parks. “The sites selected are re-evaluated every year, and we do look at those enforcement stats and see if it’s still required there or not,” she said, adding the ban was removed at one of the parks this year. Rather than deterring campers,
By the numbers Last May long weekend, traffic units laid more than 2,800 charges throughout the province — 2,269 were speeding violations. 154 impaired drivers were also charged and 14 were issued 24-hour suspensions.
Larson said the parks with bans tend to attract more families and those sites tend to remain popular. RCMP Sgt. Dave Hardy said they have scaled back enforcement slightly over the last few years. as more Albertans are complying with rules. but added there will still be plenty of uniforms out this weekend. “There will be checkstops out in locations that have historically had high volumes of campers and recreational users,” said Hardy. “We will be out just doing what we can to make sure people get to a destination safely.” KATIE TURNER More on camping {page 10}