City solicitor James Barber is drafting a proposal for a new city bylaw, aimed at shutting down “nuisance parties.” The bylaw is modelled after one in Bowling Green, Ohio and similar laws in college towns south of the border. It will give police the authority to shut down parties on private properties and issue fines and in extreme cases, arrests.
Barber was prompted to draft the proposal after a chaotic St. Patrick’s Day celebration in a neighbourhood close to Fanshawe College. The riot resulted in a destroyed media van, injured firefighters, and over $1,000 in damages.
Several students turned themselves in following the raucous party that lasted all day. The community is known to house many students from the nearby college.
