August 22nd, 2005

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Vancouver
9 Comments »

Permits for Picnics

Yesterday we had the fun-in-the-sun Big Blogger Picnic. Here are some photos of the big event (and some more and some more). We started at a picnic table, but eventually migrated to a big circle on the grass in the shade of a tree. Happily, there were no bongo drums.

Late in the picnic, an odd thing occurred. A group wandered up to the table we had abandoned. Somebody’s bike was leaning up against the table, and there was some random stuff lying on top of it. The group leader walked up, clutching an official-looking document and asked “do you guys have a permit for this table?” I told him we didn’t, so we moved the bike and stuff and they took over the table.

You can get a permit for a picnic table? Yes, and you can even purchase your permit online. But a picnic table? I called Vancouver Parks and Recreation and asked a few questions:

  • Anybody can get a permit.
  • There’s no minimum group size.
  • At Jericho Beach, it costs $74 for a table.
  • The permit gives you the right to boot unpermitted people off the table.
  • At Jericho Beach, the permit tables are painted green. The non-painted, wooden ones are fair game.

If you ask me, this runs counter to the tradition of public parks and picnics. I can understand if you’ve got a sporting event that requires a field–they’re in short supply. And if you’re going to bring 40 or 50 people to an event in the park (like, say, the Turkish Canadian Society) , then fair enough. But isn’t this overly bureaucratic for the average picnic group? And aren’t you going to look like a bit of an asshole when you have to kick another group off a picnic table?

UPDATE: Jan kindly collected URLs from everybody, and posted them.

Comments: 9 Responses so far

Aaron
August 22nd, 2005
1:45 pm

It shouldn’t be according to one’s ability to pay. To make it fair, it should be “first in time, first in right”.

That way everyone who wants to get there early to get a table pays the opportunity cost of their own time, rather than an absolute fee of 74 dollars. 74 freakin bucks to have ‘power’ to boot people from ‘your’ table.

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Tom
August 22nd, 2005
2:12 pm

2 Points I’d like to Make
1) Uhmm $74 dollars for a picnic table rental?? Wouldn’t be more cost effective to but your own fold up table.. Even if it is cheap one that breaks after a couple of uses it would be better.

2) Have you ever planned a picnic with people coming from out of town.. I planned an alumni picnic back when I was in school and it makes things alot easier to plan knowing that you have the facilities scheduled for you. If you figure you need X tables, than you reserve it. You still show up early to make sure everything is set up. Honestly I would never bother for more than a few tables, but if you know in advance you’re having an event it doesn’t hurt to check first..

Again, I’m too cheap to pay $74 for a Table.. Maybe a reserved Pavilion Are with serveral tables… But for one??

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Robert Werner
August 22nd, 2005
2:50 pm

I’ve already fought that stupid Parks Board about “Spanish Banks vs. Spanish Bank”. This is yet another prime example of government sticking their unwanted noses in where they definitely should NOT be!

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-j.
August 22nd, 2005
4:22 pm

The picnic looks like a great time!

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Rob
August 22nd, 2005
4:22 pm

Looks like just another “No Fun City” thing. The whole notion of regulating leisure activity is so obsurd. I have to agree with the first in, first served approach with the ability to reserve for groups wanting to hold a special event.

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filmgoerjuan
August 23rd, 2005
8:50 am

One wonders if there are ever picnic table “scalpers”…they buy up the permits for a prime picnic spot and then only sell them for twice the face value of the permit…

*gets business team working on that one*

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Todd
August 23rd, 2005
12:16 pm

Though I’ve never suffered over the permit issue, I don’t much favour it as it seems bureacratic and yet another way that people are encouraged not to settle disputes on their own. I would certainly understand permits for pavillions, as was mentioned above, but for tables just seems like a great way to sour someone’s day. Moreover, the Parks board has been decidedly negligent in making rules about permits etc. visible in the parks, so this could really catch people unawares.

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Gene
August 23rd, 2005
7:08 pm

Since they issue permits who regulates the usage? Uh oh now we have the picnic table police! And I would really like to see some permit holder kick some redneck off his table. What would the minimum distance the rejected picnic table user would have to move away? 2 metres, 10 metres or ?? Where is the premise of public facilities being used by the general public or is there a price tag for everything? Next they’ll be selling advertsing space on the picnic tables. Whoops…

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Jan Karlsbjerg
August 23rd, 2005
8:54 pm

I put the URL list online last night. If you link to it, more people will see it.

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