SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 3
P&E COMMITTEE AGENDA
MARCH 27, 1997
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: March 5, 1997
C.C. File: 4201-1
TO: Standing Committee on Planning and Environment
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT: Khalsa Diwan Parade
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council reaffirm the Khalsa Diwan Parade routing as shown in Figure 1
with the program as detailed within this report.
B. THAT Council direct staff to monitor this year's event to ensure the
conditions set out by the FEST committee and the Khalsa Diwan Society are
adhered to and report back to Council with recommendations for 1998.
COUNCIL POLICY
All street closures, signing, cleanup and policing costs (except the first $500 of
policing) are to be borne by the organizers of special events.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to discuss the Khalsa Diwan Society s requested
arrangements for their annual parade in light of recent organizational changes within
the Khalsa Diwan Society s executive committee.
BACKGROUND
On February 29, 1996 City Council directed staff to undertake a major review of the
Khalsa Diwan Parade including the objective of the parade, the route and the speeches,
noting that the size of the parade exceeds the ability of the street to accommodate
the event.
This parade is usually held on the Saturday of the Easter long weekend. It begins and
ends at the Ross Street Temple located at 8000 Ross Street and proceeds along the
route as shown in Figure 1.
Traditionally the parade stops at Main Street and 50th Avenue, in the Punjabi Market,
so the merchants can greet the parade participants. The stop allows an opportunity
for invited speakers to speak and gives the parade attendees an opportunity to rest
and have refreshments. The number of participants (walkers in the parade and those
waiting at the Punjabi Market for the parade to arrive) can be in the order of 30,000
depending on the weather.
The parade usually takes six hours to complete including the scheduled stop at the
Punjabi Market. Although the stop is approved for a maximum of twenty minutes it
regularly exceeds one hour and in 1996 the stop was almost two hours.
Staff are concerned about the size of the crowd stopped on Main between 49th and 52nd
Avenues. On hot days many of the elderly and young experience significant discomfort
because of the heat and the crush of the crowd. Many residents of the Sunset Park
Community and surrounding blocks have expressed concern about the impacts this parade
creates including:
The closure of Main Street and more recently Fraser Street to all vehicles
including Transit for most of the midday period. (11:00 am to 4:00 pm)
Significantly reducing the access to residential
properties due to the closure of Main Street, and congestion of side
streets with pedestrians and vehicles, both travelling and parked.
Potentially reducing the ability of emergency vehicles to reach a site given the
congested streets.
Lack of washroom facilities for the number of people that attend the parade at
the Market and the excess garbage that remains on the street.
Review of Parade
Meetings were held with the Khalsa Diwan Society to discuss the parade route and our
concerns from previous years. Staff suggested the Society investigate alternate
routes and programming. In all discussions the Society has maintained the importance
of continuing along the same parade route linking the Ross Temple and Punjabi market.
However, they were willing to change the location of the speeches. To ease the
pressure around the market, the Society suggested that speeches would be held at the
Ross Temple before and after the parade.
Easter falls on the last weekend of March this year. In an effort to take advantage
of better weather and lessen the degree of disruption to residents on a holiday
weekend, the Society moved the date of the event to Sunday, April 13, 1997. Staff
felt this was a step in the right direction and approved this date and plan.
In February the Khalsa Diwan Society elected a new executive committee. Staff met
again with the Society as the new executive strongly supported the traditional format
of previous years. The
new executive also requested the date be changed to Saturday, April 12, 1997. Staff
are concerned about having the event on Saturday as there will be increased disruption
to transit and traffic as well as a greater impact to the business community.
Staff once again, outlined the concerns of the community and stressed the importance
of reducing the pressures caused by the crowds in the Market. After discussions, staff
and the Khalsa Diwan Society agreed to the following conditions:
1. The parade will be held on Saturday April 12, 1997.
2. The parade will start one hour later and some speeches will be held at the
Temple prior to the start.
3. The lead vehicles in the parade will travel at a faster rate which in turn
should speed up the procession.
4. The stop at the Punjabi Market for speeches will not exceed twenty minutes and
the parade will resume even if all speeches are not complete.
5. The parade will be off the street and back to the Temple by 3:00 pm.
6. The Society will be responsible for all costs related to the parade, including
the cost of establishing east and west emergency corridor routes. These streets
will be Prince Edward Street, from 47th Avenue to 57th Avenue and 53rd Avenue
from Ontario Street to Ross Street. (Temporary "No stopping" signs will be
posted on both sides of these streets and parking enforcement will ticket and
tow any vehicles found on these routes.)
CONCLUSION
Because of serious time constraints, to pursue further options, and a willingness to
cooperate with the new executive, staff are recommending approval of this proposal
with the provision that this years event be closely monitored. Staff would report
back to Council after the event.
* * * * *