Canucks home opener start of busy Rogers Arena season
Posted October 7, 2017 9:20 am.
Last Updated October 7, 2017 10:40 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – If you’re heading into Downtown Vancouver tonight, you’re probably going to notice a lot of police officers around Rogers Arena. The Canucks play their home opener, against the Edmonton Oilers, tonight.
Vancouver Police say their operational plans for this have not changed in response to last weekend’s shooting in Las Vegas.
Constable Jason Doucette says they deal with tons of events every year in the city — and the Canucks game is being handled just like anything else. He doesn’t want anyone to be worried or panicked if they see lots of officers in the area.
“We’ll have some additional resources on hand to deal with the larger crowds. That’ll be traffic control, we’ll have some officers outside the arena working with the security from Rogers Arena and also we’ll have the officers inside like we always do. You’ll see us with our bright neon vests.”
“We host many, many events every year. This will be treated just the same, we have lots of resources in place and several operational plans. We’re not anticipating any problems whatsoever, but we do have lots of resources in place to deal with anything that should arise.”
Doucette adds they’ll also be looking out for anyone who may be intoxicated in public or walking around with liquor.
If you’re caught drinking in public the fine is $230.
Busy season ahead for Rogers Arena staff
The home opener is just one of 15 events at Rogers Arena this month, including six Canucks games and nine concerts.
Jeff Stipec, who speaks for the Canucks, says about 1,300 part time and full time Rogers Arena staff work at each game
“We do retain a lot of people throughout the years. It’s not like we close down at the end of hockey season and then start it all up later on. We’re pretty perpetual here, year-round there’s always something going on.”
He says staff have been and will continue to be busy, having come out of a packed summer
“September and the events we have in October, it’s actually the busiest four months that we’ve ever seen in this period, this time of year, since the Grizzlies left us back in 2001.”
