Congratulations, you made it through another St. Patrick’s Day. For the first time in two years, people were invited to take part in holiday festivities in-person, but the question of the day was if the proverbial luck of the Irish would be with Guelph Police and Bylaw. In their post-St. Patty’s analysis, it looks like not all was quiet this past March 17 in town, but it was maybe not as bad as it could have been.

According to Guelph Police Service media release on Friday morning, there were eight noise complaints that officers responded to, and all that resulted was one charge from City of Guelph bylaw enforcement.

In terms of traffic stops, over 400 vehicles passed through various RIDE spot checks around town and nine drivers were asked to give a breath sample in a roadside screening. No one was charged by Guelph Police for any traffic offenses, but the OPP charged an impaired driver on the Hanlon near College Avenue with five Provincial Offence Notices including three under the Liquor Licence and Control Act and two under the Highway Traffic Act.

In terms of other serious charges, there were two incidents of assault in downtown Guelph as day turned into evening. At 6:30 pm, police were called to the scene of a disturbance at house party at Gordon Street and Harts Lane. Two women were punched in the face after a verbal alternation and though they complained about minor injuries they did not seek medical attention. A 20-year-old Mississauga man was arrested for two counts of assault.

The second incident happened around 1:20 am when a patrol was told that there was an unprovoked assault in the area of Wyndham and Quebec, a woman had been punched in the face and received a bloody nose. Police caught up with the suspect, a 23-year-old Guelph man who ended up being charged with assault and public intoxication. The victim was taken to the hospital to get treatment for her injuries.

There was no information from Waterloo Regional Police about the numbers they were dealing with, but they did announce at 8:30 pm Thursday that roads in the area of Regina Street between Elgin and Lodge, and Marshall Street between King and Regina had been re-opened to traffic.

WRPS had to shut down both areas around midday despite the fact that security measures like fencing had been set up in advance along Ezra Avenue, which seemed to end up more of an impediment to people with mobility issues than St. Patrick’s Day revellers.