[colinwilyb]

In Toronto regulations were put in place required coordinating with Police, Fire, Ambulance, and submitting applications to use ANY private space for an intended "rave party".

The spontaneity of gathering your friends to dance on the beach, use a private warehouse after hours, or host a house party that went past 2AM, was now risking police showing up and handing out fines.

Regulation is the fastest way to kill anything unique and valuable.

[EDIT: Found a report for City Council recommendations related to this. It's a dull read, but historically facinating if you were around back then. https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/2000/agendas/council/cc/cc000... ]

[bcrl]

There were still underground events held in parks and other unofficial spaces after the regulations came in; I attended a number of small events by Moonshadow and others. Black Light Activists kept going with a regular dose of psytrance, and the monthly Darkrave event at the Big Bop continued until 2010.

Long gone are the exceptional raves like the ones held at the Ontario Science Centre which had staff manning the displays from 10pm until we were kicked out via the loading docks at 6am on Sunday morning... There's nothing quite like being 1 of ~6000 people on astroturf at a hanger in the Downsview airport watching the sun coming up at 4-5am on a warm summer night to a great morning trance set!

[ghaff]

Whether or not I totally agree with your comment, I do tend to agree that there's been a general trend towards greater oversight over a lot of activities in a lot of contexts. I have some visibility into activities at a couple of universities and there is certainly not the degree of free rein as when I went to school.