BeerfestivalcanusePioneerParkontrialbasis

Last year's inaugural event was held at Inlet Park

MARIO BARTEL

mbartel@tricitynews.com

Organizers of the Brewhalla beer and music festival will be invited to stage their event at Port Moody’s Pioneer Memorial Park this summer

But whether they’ll be able to continue using that location across from the recreation complex will depend on how well the event respects the park’s greenery and contemplative gardens, which are often visited by families with loved ones at the nearby Crossroads Hospice

Last Tuesday (Feb 28), Port Moody council voted to allow city staff to work with Langley-based Red Door Events on a one-year trial for its one-day festival in exchange for a rental fee of $1 for each ticket sold

Red Door’s first Brewhalla event in Port Moody last year was also originally scheduled to take place at Pioneer Memorial Park; however, concerns by the community about the appropriateness of the venue and the impact a thousand or so patrons might have on the gardens and green spaces in the park caused the city to move the event to Inlet Park

But with construction of a new turf sports field underway there, that site is no longer available, said Port Moody’s cultural services manager Devin Jain

In fact, the city’s options to host larger outdoor festivals are very limited, he added in a report

Jain said Rocky Point Park is already busy with free community events, and ticketed events would mean excluding non-ticket holders from a pubic space

Other possible outdoor sites, like the old fire hall site at the corner of Ioco Road and Murray Street, or Ioco Field at the end of Ioco Road, also present challenges, Jain said

In his report, Jain said city staff investigated several outdoor and indoor locations around the city as possible event venues, but none was ideal

Couns Callan Morrison

and Diana Dilworth suggested Chip Kerr Park on Hope Street might be a consideration

Morrison said it’s a wide open space that’s also close to transit, and the adjacent Chines hillside can provide shade in the summertime

“I do want to try to activate other areas of the city,” he said

But Port Moody’s general manager of community services Anna Mathewson told council the park’s location in the middle of a residential neighbourhood would pose parking problems; it also lacks services like running water and electrical hookups

Jain said as the city continues to grow, pressure is mounting to find places to accommodate events that want to set up in Port Moody

He said allowing Brewhalla to occur at Pioneer Memorial Park will give staff and organizers an opportunity to gauge its opportunities and limitations to host other events in the future

Red Door will also be able to use part of Knowle Street

Mayor Meghan Lahti said the park is the best available option for now

“This is the lesser of all evils,” she said “I’d like to see us try it and see how it goes”

Coun Kyla Knowles added a beer festival and Port Moody, where six craft breweries are located just blocks apart in its downtown, are a good fit

“I think it’s right on brand,” she said “I really want to keep this festival”

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