Enacted last year, the nuisance party bylaw is again being enforced to prevent unsanctioned and destructive fake homecoming street parties

Last September, the nuisance party bylaw was passed by the Hamilton municipal government in response to an unsanctioned homecoming street party in 2021.  

Homecoming street parties in 2021, unaffiliated with McMaster University's official football homecoming, resulted in the flipping and destruction of an undergraduate student’s car. This incident along with other reckless activities sparked the nuisance party bylaw initiative in the following year, led by Ward 1 Councillor Maureen Wilson.  

The bylaw defines a nuisance party as featuring public disorderly conduct, public drunkenness or intoxication and damage to or destruction of public or private property, among other criteria.  

The nuisance party bylaw remains in effect and will be enforced from Sept. 14, to Oct. 1, 2023. Under the University Safety District Initiative, a zero-tolerance zone was outlined within student neighborhoods where bylaw infractions result in higher fines.  

The nuisance party bylaw remains in effect and will be enforced from Sept. 14, to Oct. 1, 2023. Under the University Safety District Initiative, a zero-tolerance zone was outlined within student neighborhoods where bylaw infractions result in higher fines.  

Set penalties for failing to comply range from $300 to $500. If you are charged and convicted under the nuisance party bylaw within a zero-tolerance zone, you can face a fine up to $10,000 as a first offender and $25,000 as a repeat offender.  

McMaster Students Union president Jovan Popovic shared thoughts on the bylaw. Popovic explained that the MSU has some concerns about the lack of specificity in the bylaw regarding how it will continue to be enforced.  

“We believe that this causes potential for abuse of power and ultimately could really, really negatively impact students,” said Popovic.  

Last year the nuisance party bylaw was enforced by the presence of Hamilton law enforcement during fake homecoming festivities. Hamilton police were present Westdale and Ainslie Woods streets known to garner larger crowds of students.  

However, it has not been announced if this will continue to be the method of enforcement this year and to what extent.  

 
“While we are supportive of students enjoying their time here and doing things that continue to create a stronger sense of community, the area where the line is drawn is ultimately where danger comes into play. . .as long as there is peaceful enjoyments, as long as people are being mindful and considerate of their community, as I know a vast majority of McMaster students are, we see no issue,” said Popovic. 

The area where the line is drawn is ultimately where danger comes into play. . .as long as there is peaceful enjoyments, as long as people are being mindful and considerate of their community, as I know a vast majority of McMaster students are, we see no issue.

Jovan Popovic, president, McMaster Students Union

For more information on the nuisance party bylaw, visit the Silhouette for coverage from homecoming 2022.  

C/O Andrew Mrozowski

While there may be an explanation for unruly students, they sure aren’t blameless

By: Zara Khan, Contributor

University entails huge transitions, from moving out to becoming fully independent. Students become able to make their own decisions and set their own bedtime. They become able to make decisions on whether or not they spend the night out or stay inside. In the end, you realize that your day-to-day choices are now entirely up to you, with the only exception being the people around you who influence your decision-making process.. That sounds pretty exciting if you think about it, but what if this excitement leads to decisions that end up wrecking your entire future career? 

Insert McMaster’s homecoming party, also termed FOCO. It was quite the scene when looking at it from an outsider’s perspective. From the perspective of a first-year student going with no experience of such an event, it may have looked intimidating, but perhaps also fun and enticing to be a part of. 

Any students who may have missed out may well have silently thanked their decision after hearing about the events that occured. First-year Ashley Hogan’s car — a white Mazda — was flipped over and completely totalled. Ashley was away on a rowing competition and heard about the event on social media, with a GoFundMe page started by her friend having received over $10,000 in donations. During the unsanctioned celebration, people were disturbing homeowners and entering random backyards in the area. Others were ripping out street signs, jumping from tree to tree trying to cross the road, littering and lifting people with shopping carts inside them as well. Two individuals were charged under the Liquor License Act and five others for causing a disturbance. 

The general motivation behind such an event was clearly hopes of enjoying the first homecoming event since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. From my own observations, many off-campus houses were also throwing their own parties, though they didn’t come close to the degree of property damage that ensued at the ‘FOCO’ party. 

While such rhetoric may be understandable to a certain degree, the extent of the damage and harm caused by some of the events at ‘FOCO’ are quite frankly way over the line. There were indeed many challenges faced by students over the past year, including online classes, but the fact that students are “back” on campus does not give them the right to engage in the destructive acts that took place during McMaster’s homecoming party.

This also applies to students at other universities. The effects of isolation on the brain are still being studied, with frustration and a decrease in mental health commonly discussed in studies. In fact, loneliness has been found to reduce brain volumes in the prefrontal cortex, a region important in decision making and social behavior, although other research suggests this relationship might be mediated by personality factors as well.

With all this being said, going out every once in a while because of the feeling of finally being “free” and not having to quarantine anymore is totally acceptable as long as you follow the law and stay safe. I’d advise not doing anything that would put your future at risk and tapping into that rational part of your brain that helps with making decisions in times like these. As students, we are becoming responsible for our own decisions and it is important to use this privilege ethically. 

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