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No major incidents at Commercial Street Party (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)

DH Vancouver Staff
DH Vancouver Staff
|
Dec 20 2017, 12:59 am
No major incidents at Commercial Street Party (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)

This year’s second Commercial Drive Street Party had all the potential to be like the out-of-control party back in May, which ended with arrests and violence.

This version, however, was far more tame.

Like any party, it started slow, with the beat of drums and good natured people just at Grandview Park looking to have a good time.e.”

But as the evening progressed, suddenly the volume dialled up high, with revellers spilling onto the streets of Commercial Drive.

Sergeant Randy Fincham with Vancouver Police Department estimates about 500 people took in the event, despite the vocalized concerns of residents and businesses in the area.

“It’s unfortunate; it’s what we expected would happen,” said Fincham. “There are fairly large numbers of business owners and residents of the community who were afraid this was going to happen. It’s a great disrespect for the people who live in this area who didn’t want this to happen.”

Party goers marched The Drive, hoping their voices would be heard loud and clear.

Businesses say Friday’s block party was more friendly than the one in May. Manager of Biercraft on Commercial Drive Trinity Tucker says they were prepared for potential chaos.

“It wasn’t quite like the May day one, that one was a little crazy and hard to handle,” said Tucker. “This one, it was way smaller there were maybe 500 people there. We didn’t have any problems.”

Constable Brian Montague with the VPD says police dispersed a group of about 150 people after midnight because of noise complaints, but no arrests were made.

Tucker says there was no mess to clean up this morning, and everything last night seemed very contained.

 

Originally published on CKNW.com

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