WATERLOO -- The city of Waterloo officially endorsed the 12 recommendation plan aimed at ending large unsanctioned street parties Monday night.
The recommendations were split into four categories: operational excellence, culture change, community impact and ongoing initiatives.
Of the four categories, task force members and Waterloo Mayor Dave Jaworsky signaled changing the student party culture as a key for success.
Jaworsky says students need to hear it from other students why the shouldn’t go to Ezra,
“All our lives peer pressure is something that has applied to each and every one of us so we really need the messaging to come from university and college students, to say this is blight on my hard earned degree, and they need to hear it from students themselves,” says Jaworsky.
Jaworsky adds he thinks they are close to a point where students will decide for themselves that they no longer want to show up on Ezra Avenue.
"I really think there is a silent majority of students who don't actually attend these unsanctioned events, to them it's devaluating their degree they came with very high averages from high school, they want a degree they want to get out in the world and this one day is a blight on their degree and I think they want it to stop and I think overtime we are going to see those students speaking out,” says Jaworsky.
However, students agree there are still some challenges ahead.
“It will be difficult and I think it will take some time,” said Sky Nip from Wilfrid Laurier University Students' Union. “At the Students’ Union, we’re releasing a marketing campaign to explain or debunk the realities and expectations of the event."
The recommendations are part of a three year plan to end the street parties.
The task force says this year they are focused on getting a workable plan in place, and hope to maintain public safety.
