Could the 4/20 smoke-out move to the PNE in 2018?

May 28 2017, 4:58 am

The PNE will not allow the 4/20 smoke-out to be held on its property next year if certain criteria are not met.

“After recent reports that the organizers of the 4/20 event in Vancouver are interested in moving the event to Hastings Park, it is important that the operators of the site, the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE), clarify the challenges of entering a rental agreement with the 4/20 event,” the PNE said in a release.

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There are six conditions that must be met in order for any event to take place on the fairgrounds:

  1. Event organizers must have liability and insurance
  2. All events must meet Workers’ Compensation Board safety requirements
  3. Organizers must cover costs of union workers
  4. Organizers must cover all expenses related to the event
  5. Proximity to residential areas must be taken into consideration
  6. A building or space must be available to host the event

The PNE met with 4/20 event organizers in November 2016 about hosting the event in April 2017. During the meeting, the PNE said it outlined the six criteria to the 4/20 organizers.

“After reviewing the operational and business plans of the event, the PNE declined to pursue booking the event. Assuming the above mentioned challenges do not materially change, the PNE does not expect that decision to change in the future,” the PNE said.

This year’s 4/20 celebration was held at Sunset Beach. A large grassy open area at the site was closed for several weeks afterwards due to damage caused by the event.

In a release, the City of Vancouver says its departments spent a combined total of $245,379 on the unsanctioned and unpermitted event on April 20 this year – nearly $100,000 more than last year’s tally of $148,000. In 2015, the event cost city taxpayers $93,000.

With files from Kenneth Chan. 

 

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

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