By Lexi McFarlane, Times Chronicle
Alcohol consumption on Gyro Beach will continue to be a no go and glassware will also become prohibited at Osoyoos beaches following recent discussion from Council.
The decision was made at Tuesday’s Regular Council Meeting, where a report on the potential bylaw to allow alcohol on Gyro Beach was presented by Director of Corporate Services Marg Coulson. The report recommended against approving the bylaw, and recommended that the bylaw and pilot project be dropped from the priority list in 2026.
The proposal has been brought up at Council meetings on two previous occasions. Alcohol consumption at Gyro Beach was first discussed on April 22, 2025, where Council first directed staff to explore the feasibility of the proposal. It arose once again at the Regular meeting on January 13, when the idea was added to the list of strategic priorities for 2026.
Currently, a select number of municipalities in BC allow open alcohol on beaches. Vancouver last year permanently approved it for seven of its beaches following a two-year pilot project. Within the South Okanagan, Penticton allows alcohol consumption between 12 and 9 p.m. at its Okanagan Beach, as well as four different parks. Summerland also approved alcohol consumption on three of its beaches as of 2025.
Coulson’s report states that the most significant downside to legalizing alcohol consumption at Gyro Beach was the potential creation of a “continuous drinking corridor”, where patrons would leave establishments after consuming alcohol, purchase additional beverages from nearby liquor stores, and continue consumption on the beach. Gyro Beach would not have the same controls in place as a licensed establishment currently does.
The number of establishments, as well as two liquor stores, within close proximity to Gyro Beach were also of concern to staff. The report notes that even with regulations and limited consumption hours in place, the number of instances of public intoxication and disorderly conduct, among other offences, would likely increase.
Cottonwood Beach was additionally scouted as a potential location for the proposed pilot project, the report notes, however presents many of the same challenges as Gyro Beach.
Glassware, which had been mentioned as part of a potential bylaw, was the active concern Council discussed the most at Tuesday’s meeting, with Councillor Johnny Cheong saying it resulted in injuries that they would like to prevent.
“We’ve had four cuts from shards of glass last year, from volleyball,” Cheong said. “It’s not commonplace, but we see it (happen) a lot.”
Mayor Sue McKortoff agreed that language should be added to prevent glassware in parks and on beaches, given the standards that already exist for certain events.
“I have actually seen down at the beach, people with glass wine glasses,” McKortoff noted. “I don’t think that glass is appropriate to hold down there at all, and anytime there is a beer garden, they use plastic (cups).”
The initial text of the bylaw referenced grass surfaces, which Councillor Jim King made sure to point out, asking for the motion text to apply to all surfaces.
“A lot of beaches just have sand, and no grass,” King said. “So could it include both?”
Coulson agreed that the text could be amended to include sand and beaches, not just grass surfaces.
Council unanimously voted against moving ahead with the proposed bylaw and pilot project, and removed alcohol consumption on beaches from its list of 2026 priorities.
