Last year's popular pilot program allowing Vancouverites to drink alcohol in some of Vancouver's parks has been brought back for another summer.

At its May 16 meeting, the park board approved a draft bylaw amendments needed to support the relaunch of its 2021 Alcohol in Parks Pilot program. The bylaw was formally passed June 17.

The continued pilot will take effect June 3 and expire on October 16, with drinking allowed in designated areas in 22 popular parks from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day.

A May 17 board bulletin noted that feedback from park users about last year's pilot launch indicated that some park users were confused about identifying boundaries of the areas where they were allowed to drink.

The board noted that it would "simplify and clarify where people can drink" in parks this year. The bulletin said areas that include beaches, off-leash dog areas, playgrounds, community centres, sports fields, and "ecologically sensitive natural areas" will be excluded from the pilot program this summer.

Drinking while in or on seawalls, parking lots, ponds, gardens, skate parks, pitch-and-putt golf courses, washrooms, and fieldhouses is also prohibited.

Signage in the chosen parks will notify visitors where alcohol can and cannot be consumed. For maps of each park's allowed areas and more information on the program, go here.

The 22 parks that will take part in the pilot program this summer—chosen because of location and amenities such as garbage disposal and washrooms—are as follows: Collingwood Park, David Lam Park, Fraser River Park, Granville Park, Harbour Green Park, John Hendry (Trout Lake) Park, Kitsilano Beach Park/Hadden Park,  Langara Park, Locarno Beach Park, Maple Grove Park, Memorial South Park, Memorial West Park,  New Brighton Park,  Pandora Park,  Queen Elizabeth Park, Quilchena Park, Riverfront Park (west), Robson Park, Rupert Park, Stanley Park (southwest), Vanier Park, and Volunteer Park.

Because of the size of Stanley and Queen Elizabeth parks, only designated parts of these parks will be participating in the pilot program

The board noted that park staff and rangers will work with the Vancouver Police Department to ensure compliance with the bylaw.