Beer, wine allowed at Altoona River Prairie Park

Friday, May 26, 2017
Stephen Kelley | WQOW

Altoona (WQOW) - A day at Altoona's new River Prairie Park can now include your favorite bottle of brew.

On Thursday night, the Altoona City Council voted to allow park-goers to each bring in 48 ounces of beer or wine to River Prairie Park. It will be a pilot program for the city, and alcohol will only be allowed from 7 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. While the vote was unanimous, Altoona's mayor, Brendan Pratt, has concerns about the message it sends to young residents and how it will be enforced.

"They could come in with their bottle of wine, go up to Kwik Trip and get another bottle of wine and come back down. I don't think we have enough resources to control it. I just think there are issues there and the whole image is a major concern to me," Pratt said.

The Altoona Police Department was consulted about the ordinance and did not object. The city plans to review the ordinance within a year, or sooner, if problems arise.

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