This past weekend marked the first weekend
in the return of Queen’s Homecoming. This year, Queen’s has spread Homecoming over
two separate weekends, with the second weekend yet to come.
In the Kingston Whig Standard, Tom Harris,VP Advancement for Queen’s University acknowledged
that
“...we will likely see activity on neighbourhood streets near campus during
Homecoming, as we often do at this time of year. But we’ve been working hard to
stress to students, alumni and community members that we cannot see the events
that led to Homecoming’s cancellation repeated. Homecoming should and must be
an event that is respectful of Queen’s, our alumni, our students, and the
Kingston community.”
Queen’s, in partnership with emergency
personnel (including Kingston Police, Kingston General Hospital, Frontenac
Paramedic Services, and Kingston Fire and Rescue among others), continues to
work towards ensuring all students, alumni and community members are kept safe
during the weekend events. In a personal
plea to students, Principal Woolf went door to door on Aberdeen and neighbouring streets asking them
to avoid large gatherings and street parties, and instead to embrace and
participate in the many sanctioned events and activities planned for Homecoming
2013.
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Relative to previous years, things have
improved. But according to CKWS, close to
2500 people, including students and alumni, gathered to party on Aberdeen Street,
while more than 100 police officers worked diligently to stay on top of the
situation. The Kingston Police reported
that 2 impaired driving charges, 16 arrests and 133 tickets were handed out in
the university area – mostly for public intoxication and breaching the
peace.
Homecoming weekend is a cause for
celebration, and alcohol can be an enjoyable part of that celebration. Unfortunately for some, excessive alcohol use
continues to be the focus. We need to change the conversation and look at
solutions that will reduce harm to students, decrease alcohol-related violence
and property destruction, and reduce the costs associated with the necessary
police presence, without diminishing the fun and importance of homecoming
weekend.
A recently released resource can help
inform this conversation. “Making the Case: Tools for Supporting
Local Alcohol Policy in Ontario” provides
municipalities with options for addressing community problems related to
alcohol.