KIDWCKED
02-21-2010, 03:49 PM
c\pBy Ian Bailey, The Globe and Mail Posted Sunday, February 21, 2010 2:27 AM ET
Super Sunday has arrived at the Olympics, with a record crowd of hockey fans expected to flood into the heart of Vancouver.
At noon Vancouver time, Russia plays the Czech Republic, then it's Canada versus the United States, wrapping up with Sweden against Finland at 9 p.m. Each one of those matchups has been a gold-medal game in recent Olympics, and they will all serve to further stoke Olympic frenzy.
For the first time in the city's history, police Saturday night asked for all liquor stores in the city centre to be closed after 7 p.m. in an attempt to reduce public drunkenness.
The request was made public with less than a half-hour warning.
Officials will decide Sunday if the ban will be repeated tonight.
"Because we're seeing capacity crowds we have never seen before, sustained crowds and public levels of intoxication, we felt it important to examine all avenues to ensure public safety," said Constable Jana McGuinness of the Vancouver Police Department.
"The strategy behind this is to stop the supply of alcohol to the streets. We're seeing people replenishing their stock at nearby liquor stores and then openly consuming the liquor in the streets."
The order is aimed at squelching a repeat of the public drunkenness from Friday night, when scores of people purchased alcohol and then drank it while wandering the streets.
The largest crowds that Vancouver usually sees come for its annual fireworks show, with about 200,000 people attending. Police are prepared for that record to be broken as hockey fans gather.
There were 150,000 people on the streets of Vancouver Friday night, all celebrating - and some a little too much, leading Vancouver police to issue a warning about public drinking, and to put more officers on the streets and at key transit hubs.
Yesterday afternoon, happy crowds again flooded the downtown core, slowing foot traffic to a good-natured crawl. Canadian flags were everywhere, including some worn as capes. In Whistler, there was even more of a party mood, with the evening victory ceremonies a high point.
But the party mood shifts come nightfall, and the expectations surrounding the hockey gold medal creates a further pressure point.
Super Sunday has arrived at the Olympics, with a record crowd of hockey fans expected to flood into the heart of Vancouver.
At noon Vancouver time, Russia plays the Czech Republic, then it's Canada versus the United States, wrapping up with Sweden against Finland at 9 p.m. Each one of those matchups has been a gold-medal game in recent Olympics, and they will all serve to further stoke Olympic frenzy.
For the first time in the city's history, police Saturday night asked for all liquor stores in the city centre to be closed after 7 p.m. in an attempt to reduce public drunkenness.
The request was made public with less than a half-hour warning.
Officials will decide Sunday if the ban will be repeated tonight.
"Because we're seeing capacity crowds we have never seen before, sustained crowds and public levels of intoxication, we felt it important to examine all avenues to ensure public safety," said Constable Jana McGuinness of the Vancouver Police Department.
"The strategy behind this is to stop the supply of alcohol to the streets. We're seeing people replenishing their stock at nearby liquor stores and then openly consuming the liquor in the streets."
The order is aimed at squelching a repeat of the public drunkenness from Friday night, when scores of people purchased alcohol and then drank it while wandering the streets.
The largest crowds that Vancouver usually sees come for its annual fireworks show, with about 200,000 people attending. Police are prepared for that record to be broken as hockey fans gather.
There were 150,000 people on the streets of Vancouver Friday night, all celebrating - and some a little too much, leading Vancouver police to issue a warning about public drinking, and to put more officers on the streets and at key transit hubs.
Yesterday afternoon, happy crowds again flooded the downtown core, slowing foot traffic to a good-natured crawl. Canadian flags were everywhere, including some worn as capes. In Whistler, there was even more of a party mood, with the evening victory ceremonies a high point.
But the party mood shifts come nightfall, and the expectations surrounding the hockey gold medal creates a further pressure point.