Vancouver park board OKs liquor licences for summer events

The Vancouver park board has unanimously approved two motions that will mean more partiesand more drinking in the citys parks this summer.

Commissioner Aaron Jasper says the city is ready to loosen up.

"This is just a great example of how the parks board is doing its job to push back on that reputation of a no-fun city."

Plans for Stanley Park's 125th birthday now include live music, family activities and three beer gardens.

But the party doesn't stop there.

The board also approved special occasion liquor licences for three more big outdoor festivals the Coastal Jazz Festival, Vancouver Urban Spaces and the Lululemon Seawheeze will all be hosting beer gardens in city parks throughout the summer.

Jasper says beer sponsorships fund the events.

"When we have festival organizers coming to us and saying, Look we have great ideas, we want to do festivals but sponsorship is really hard to come by, are you open to at least beer gardens? I think we have a responsibility to be open to those discussions and evaluate each festival on a case by case basis," Jasper said.