By Wendy Elliott
welliott@kingscountynews.ca
After the drinking death of a first–year student at Acadia University last fall, the number of conversations about alcohol increased in Wolfville.
Acadia Students’ Union vice-president for programming Matt Rios said the aim is to work collaboratively to create realistic policies.
Director of student services James Sanford said Acadia and the town have been partnering since 1999 to lessen the impact of alcohol consumption through the living in community committee.
He told those attending a recent webinar Acadia has been proactive in terms of best practices.
It became the only Canadian campus to join Dartmouth University learning collaborative on high-risk drinking last June. The 18-month project involves 32 universities working together to reduce the amount of binge drinking and the harm it causes on various campuses.
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Wolfville Deputy Mayor David Mangle added the town is keen to create a culture of responsible alcohol use within the town limits.
While council may add some special extended lounge hours, he said, the emphasis is going to be on health, safety and respect.
Mayor Bob Stead is hopeful the community can be part of a larger dialogue with Acadia about alcohol use and harms.
Stead said he doesn’t think any Wolfville residents expect young adults “to live here as in a nunnery, I do know that off campus alcohol-influenced behaviours impact the core of this community and its commercial district in very significant ways.
