The following article appeared in the September 1 edition of the Guelph Mercury.
Given that it was the first time out of the blocks, a pilot project to ensure the safety and orderliness of student revelry in downtown Guelph appeared to go off without much of a hitch Thursday night.
A few unfortunate vehicle owners had their vehicles towed, and a city official said Friday a minor tweak will be made as the project continues over the next five weeks.
A task force made up of representatives from Guelph Police, University of Guelph, Downtown Guelph Business Association, and several city departments, designed the project to address a number of issues surrounding the downtown student entertainment district.
The project aims to prevent littering, public urination and other nuisances, and cut down on conflicts between pedestrians and motorists on reveling nights. Thousands of students descend on downtown Guelph on weekends during the school year.
As part of the five-week pilot project, sections of Macdonell and Wyndham streets are closed to traffic between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Portable washrooms are centrally placed, and two taxi stands set up.
Vehicles left in the restricted zones after 11 p.m. will be towed to the nearby Wilson Street parking lot where they can be retrieved without cost while the pilot project is in effect. About 10 vehicles were subject to relocation Thursday night.
Guelph Police Chief Bryan Larkin was out Thursday night to oversee the launch of the project.
“It was a perfect night for what I deemed a dress rehearsal,” he said, indicating that the evening was relatively low-key given that the university semester hasn’t started yet and the crowds of students were on the low end.
“So it was a great opportunity to see how this rolls out, and to see how we can enhance the service,” Larkin said. Thursday night was an opportunity to get feedback from merchants on the various elements of the project.
Two police inspectors in charge of neighbourhood services were on the streets along with other officers, gauging the operation, and responding to questions and concerns. There were police bicycle and foot patrols.
“At about 3:00 or 3:30 in the morning we deemed it to be successful,” Larkin said. “Bringing people into the core was working really well. Overall it was a positive roll-out.”
Allister McIlveen, the city’s manager of traffic and parking, said from a public works perspective the logistics of closing off the downtown streets and making the entertainment area as safe as possible, was a success.
“We achieved our objectives,” he said, echoing what Larkin had said about the crowds not being as heavy as they ultimately will be in the ensuing weeks.
“Certainly it was a good opportunity to try it and get things out there,” McIlveen added. “We did some tweaking, and as we go forward and more people attend the entertainment district, if we have to do some more tweaking we certainly do that.”
He added that the only adjustment that appears to be needed at this point is more signage to better inform motorists of the tow-away zone. Many vehicles remained on the streets Thursday night after 11 p.m., he indicated.
City officials visited a number of establishments to inform patrons of the pilot project and the parking restrictions, giving them time to move vehicles.
“There were a number of vehicles that were moved very quickly by their owners after that,” McIlveen said.