Gatineau cracking down on open alcohol at parks, beaches as ‘party culture’ takes over in Aylmer

The City of Gatineau is taking enforcement of COVID-19 measures a step farther at its parks and beaches, especially at Aylmer's Parc des Cèdres, as residents continue to ignore rules already put into place.

Audrey Bureau, city councillor for Aylmer, says there are thousands of people at Aylmer Marina on most days, and they come with alcohol and fireworks, many leave garbage behind, and some even vandalize the area.

She says a “party culture” has been established, so the city is moving to enforce an alcohol ban at all of its parks and beaches, in hopes that the situation can improve.

So far, the city has doubled the amount of trash and recycling bins at the park (which get emptied twice a day), and beach clean-up is being done twice each day, but there have still be injuries to people stepping on broken beer bottles.

“The message does not seem to be getting through,” says Bureau. “It's becoming dangerous for families to go [to Parc des Cèdres].”

Circles painted on the ground, to better enforce physical distance rules, were announced by the city recently but have not yet appeared in the park, according to the councillor.

Bureau is urging residents to call 3-1-1 or a non-urgent city or police number if they see trouble at any local park.

“That way we can better manage and adapt our response,” says the councillor.

Bureau says the city opened its parks up in an attempt to give residents the outdoor space they needed during the pandemic, but “it's created a party culture and it's getting worse.”