The City of Vancouver gave the go-ahead yesterday for 2011 Grey Cup festival events to take place on city streets.
Council also approved a preliminary budget of up to $ 250,000 to cover the festival’s policing and engineering costs.
In the wake of the June 15 Stanley Cup riot, the city established that festivities for the November football party will be subject to a “rigorous risk-assessment process” and that plans will be approved by the city’s large- event oversight committee.
Scott Ackles, Grey Cup festival committee general manager, said the Grey Cup will be nothing like the Stanley Cup.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Ackles said. “We programmed it for families and hardcore CFL fans …. It’s a completely different event. I don’t anticipate (a riot) happening.”
More than 25,000 out-of-town visitors are expected to come to Vancouver, with the four-day event attracting more than 200,000 people. It’s estimated that it will have an economic impact of $ 100 million.
Unlike the live sites hastily erected during the Canucks’ Stanley Cup run, city engineer Peter Judd said Grey Cup festival planning has been in the works for two years.
Also, there will be big- screen TVs at the fan zones. Some of the events will be held indoors and will require tickets, Judd said.
“It provides the best opportunity to control who’s coming in and control liquor and provide security,” he said.
Local news from metronews.ca/vancouver
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