Students slapped with $4,500 in fines for Broughdale house party

Four students have been hit hard in the pocket book with fines totalling more than $4,500after a party on Broughdale Avenue this past weekend, signaling the start of new hard-hitting measures to curb unsanctioned parties.

Police said four male tenantsbetween the ages of 19 and 21 were each charged $1,130 under the city of London's new nuisance bylaw put in place in August.

Police allegewhen they were called to the home Friday night on Western University's most notorious party street, between 200 and 300 revellers were in attendance.

The fine is set at $1,000, plus a $130 surcharge, however it could climb as high as $25,000 and can be issued to the owner or the tenant of the building.

The Western community, along withthe city and police, have been looking for ways to curb the Broughdale street party that usually takes place in mid-September.

Last year, as many as 20,000 students flooded the street forFake Homecoming, or FoCo, for an all-day booze-soaked bender that saw some students transported to the emergency room.

Fines and more

Increased fines are only one way officials hope to reduce the numbers this year, an event that's already widely publicized for Sept. 28.

Western University approved a change to the student code of conduct that will result in students being held accountable for their behaviour during off-campus, unsanctioned street parties.

The city has also made the enclave around Broughdale Avenue a "no-stopping" zone.

Last year's Broughdale shenanigans cost the city an additional $100,000 in policing. Western says it has also spent $650,000 over the past five years installing fences, hiring police and security and cleaning up after the unsanctioned parties.