One of the biggest events of Pride Week is cancelled
Posted April 4, 2018 2:13 pm.
Last Updated April 4, 2018 4:39 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – One of the biggest events of Vancouver’s Pride Week will not be happening this year.
The Davie Street Party has been cancelled as organizers trying to make up for a posted deficit from last year’s Pride Week.
“It was not a fun announcement to have to make,” Pride Society co-chair Andrea Arnot said. “We had to take a really hard look at our budget this year… and decided that the Davie Street Party was the event that we would have to look at cutting if we couldn’t find more support for the event or a way to reduce costs.”
The society says City of Vancouver and regulatory costs for the party are approximately $79,500, the most expensive single event during Pride Week. Policing/security/traffic management cost more than $37,000 alone.
The group says it spoke with the City of Vancouver earlier this year in an attempt to try and find a way to reduce costs but a solution was not found.
“Vancouver Pride Society does pay pretty high city and policing costs for events so it’s something that we’re in discussions with the city about; how we can be more efficient,” Arnot said.
Potential solutions include more accurate cost quotes from the City of Vancouver, according to Arnot. Last year, the society was hit with a parade bill that was twice the size of the year before.
In contrast, Arnot says Toronto Police does not charge for its work during their city’s pride parade.
Vancouver hopes to resurrect the party next year.
