This St. Patrick's Day, students took the party a block away to Marshall Street

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, tens of thousands of people would flood Ezra Avenue in Waterloo, Ont. for an unsanctioned street party. But with most of the street fenced off this St. Patrick's Day, students moved the party a block away to Marshall Street instead.

City and regional officials blocked access to most of Ezra Avenue in anticipation of what could take place, with dozens of university security constables posted at almost every home to ensure neighbourhood safety. There was also a heavy Waterloo regional police presence with dozens more officers and cruisers patrolling the area.

But, for many students, the party went on anyway.

Instead, they hosted parties in their front yards on Marshall Street early Thursday, and by late afternoon the crowds had  spilled into the street under the exceptionally-warm 18 C temperature and sunny skies.

"We're on Marshall Street because police don't let us on Ezra anymore," Owen Hunter, a fourth year student at Wilfrid Laurier University, told CBC News. "If you block off the main party, people [don't] have to go far, we're one block away and that's where people are going to go."

Police eventually closed Marshall Street between Regina and Brighton Streets for safety reasons and asked people to avoid the area.

"There have been several house parties and some students have moved on to the street on Marshall Street," said Cherri Greeno, a spokesperson with Waterloo regional police.

She said police will continue to monitor the university district throughout the day and evening.

However, students say closing off streets for St. Patrick's Day isn't an approach that's going to work because they party will just move to another nearby street again. 

Anthony Checcha, a fourth year student at WLU who lives on Ezra Avenue, has seen the temporary fencing go up on his street in previous years and hoped this year things would have gone differently. He said he and others feel "caged in," and installing strict fencing on Ezra Avenue is not the solution.

He said university officials and police should take a different approach next year. 

"I feel like there are other options that they come up with that would allow us to all have fun with out completely restricting us off the street like they did today," Checcha said. 

He and several other students who CBC News spoke to said they'd like to see a sanctioned event, where officials put up watch towers and washroom trailers.

Several neighbours agree.