Sunset Beach will be closed for up to 10 weeks to clean up and repair the area after the annual Vancouver 4/20 event.
An estimated 40,000 people packed into the area on Friday, leaving behind a large amount of garbage and damage.
RELATED: 20 Hazy Photos From The 420 Vancouver ‘Protest’ At Sunset Beach
Vancouver Park Board Commissioner Stuart Mackinnon said that his staff needs to close the space for “major rehabilitation”.
“…A troubling loss of park space.” #VanParkBoard Chair Stuart Mackinnon surveys damage to #SunsetPark field this morning after 4/20 event. The field will be closed for up to 10 weeks for major rehabilitation. @betterparks pic.twitter.com/g9HPHd86z6
— Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation (@ParkBoard) April 21, 2018
As the event grows larger, so does the damage. In 2016, the costs totalled $148,000, which signifies almost double the growth.
Organizers said that they would cover would cover the costs of sanitation, traffic control and engineering this year. However, they would not cover the costs of policing.
During last year’s event, the majority costs were spent on policing. The city claims it spent $170,670 for Sunset Beach and the Vancouver Art Gallery. As a result, even if the event were moved elsewhere, it would still incur these hefty costs.
Not everyone is agreeing with the Park Board’s damage estimates. Pot activist Jodie Emery took to Twitter and said organizers left the park as they found it.
And here’s Sunset Beach on April 14th — why didn’t Park Board fence it off then?
Why don’t they fence off & close every park in #Vancouver from April to June wherever there’s rain puddles?
Because this is an intolerant attempt to smear our successful, massive, nonprofit event. pic.twitter.com/2iE3YMZQyL
— Jodie Giesz-Ramsay (formerly Emery) (@JodieEmery) April 22, 2018
Emery said that organizers even spent $30,000 this year to cover the grass and prevent damaging it.
