VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Vancouver 4/20 rally organizers hope to avoid a repeat of last year’s damage, while the city continues to wait for the group to repay policing and repair costs.

Last year, the pro-marijuana protest party, which attracts thousands of people, moved to Sunset Beach, while a second event was held at the traditional location outside the Vancouver Art Gallery. Combined, the events cost tax payers $245,379 for policing, clean up and damages including resoding the beach’s destroyed lawn.

“We’re investigating turf protecting materials for the grass,” organizer and activist Dana Larsen said, adding the event will be held at the beach again. “We’ve also partnered with a group called the Binners’ (Project) who are going to help us with our recycling… And then we’ve also been working with the health and emergency crews to improve our grid system and make sure we have good communication.”

Larsen said last year the event had a crew clean up and bag garbage, but the Park Board reported picking up to 6,000 lbs of trash.

The Park Board says organizers paid $6,000, a cost Larsen said was for reseeding. However, in a release the City of Vancouver said it has received “no indication the 4/20 event is willing to reimburse” it.

“Our goal was to try and cover the costs, especially the costs around or damaging the park. I think those are fair enough for us as a group to cover those things and not to leave it to the Park Board,” Larsen said. “Some of those policing costs I’m not sure are directly our responsibility.”

Larsen said the event at the gallery is separate from his rally and he thinks his group should not have to pay those fees, which made up $63,614 of the total cost.

The rally remains an unsanctioned and unpermitted event. The Park Board said it cannot grant a permit to the event because it does not allow smoking on its property. The city said it is focused on supporting the Vancouver Police Department.

Both the city and park board want to see the event moved someone else, however a new location has not been decided.