Bob Mackin
Vancouver officials previewed FIFA World Cup transportation and security plans on May 6, five weeks until the first of seven matches at B.C. Place.
Outside 29th Avenue SkyTrain station, they vowed to keep the city moving on TransLink with 600 more bus trips daily, increased SkyTrain service and shuttle buses between the FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE and 29th Avenue and Renfrew SkyTrain stations.
But the big eyeopener for road users is the closure of Pacific Boulevard near B.C. Place Stadium beginning May 23. Even more of the local street network in the area will be closed on match days.
Vancouver Police Deputy Chief Don Chapman (right) and City of Vancouver FIFA security co-lead Dave Jones (left). (Mackin)
“Residents and businesses impacted by event-related road closures in this area will be able to maintain most access with some limitations using our local traffic access passes, which are being enabled now and being presented to the community next week,” said host city secretariat COO Taunya Geelhoed.
Soccer security
Vancouver Police Deputy Chief Don Chapman said the host police force is working with the RCMP, Metro Vancouver Transit Police, Delta Police and Calgary and Edmonton Police.
During his presentation, Chapman highlighted public drunkenness, drones and fraud as concerns.
Alcohol only in licensed venues and no drones around B.C. Place Stadium. It will be a no-fly zone.
“It’s going to be tightly controlled, so drones of any size are not going to be permitted to fly within that restricted airspace,” Chapman said.
Some U.S. cities are planning counter-drone technology to intercept or shoot-down drones. That is not part of the VPD playbook.
“As a municipal police agency. I do not have the authority to bring down a drone,” Chapman said. “However, that is a federal responsibility, so we would rely on our federal partners to do detection work or any mitigation work.”
Chapman also cautioned ticket buyers to beware of ticketing scams.
“Now with respect to short-term rental fraud, fraudsters often advertise properties that actually don’t exist or they do not actually own,” Chapman said.
He said in the weeks and days leading up to the World Cup, the VPD and partners are planning training exercises on city streets and other public areas. Last month, a mass-casualty scenario was held at the PNE grounds with 200 officers and the city and police operations centres both stood-up to test plans.
The VPD is expecting protests. Host city security lead Dave Jones, former chief of the New Westminster and Transit Police forces, said they are also planning for fan marches.
“They’re generally provided escorts to make sure they get there, right? They’re a temporary measure, going from point A to point B, they want to get to the game. Lots of stuff goes into the timing of it, location start, and making sure that it’s a safe and enjoyable event to be part of.”
How much is it all costing?
That’s the big secret for now. Provincial and civic officials promise a news release later in May. Last June’s estimate was up to $624 million, including security and operations and capital expenses at B.C. Place Stadium.
Since then, the federal government added $145 million at the end of April to the $100 million in last November’s budget, to be split between Vancouver and Toronto.
Dave Jones, the City of Vancouver’s security leader, said the police deployment downtown would be the biggest in its history — more than the 2010 Winter Olympics.
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