Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Police Department Chief Constable Jim Chu is stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place.
Last week, Chu sent out a strong message warning hockey fans to stay away from the downtown core during the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Canucks 2012 playoff run. His reasoning? A little event from last June thats come to be known in the history books as the Stanley Cup riot, which took place after thousands of sore losers took to the streets after the Canucks 4-0 loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 7.
There was an immediate uproar in response to Chus warning from downtown merchants who, while still traumatized by the violent riot, want their pubs, book and music stores, theatres, restaurants, coffee shops and nightclubs packed beyond legal capacity as they were last playoff season.
Even fellow Courier columnist Mark Hasiuk responded to Chus warning by joking the police chief might have to sandbag the bridges to keep hockey fans from downtown. He also suggested Chus comments might violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
In response to the public backlash, Chu released a second statement, this one claiming the VPD encourages well-behaved Canuck fans to visit, shop, eat and drink downtown during hockey games.
Since Chu cant express his true feelings because of his position and certain expectations of civility, let me take a shot at it. The message Chu is sending is this: Dont come downtown if youre an emotionally stunted, angry, violent moron whos too stupid to stay out of the way of a camera.
Its a message close to many a Vancouverites heart, but in Chus case hes just not able to say it out loud. So instead in his latest statement the chief says, You are not welcome in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»if you intend to engage in public drinking, hooliganism and criminal behaviour.
To date, investigators have recommended 432 charges against 150 alleged rioters, two of whom have pleaded guilty.
Chu also suggested smaller gatherings, perhaps at community centres, might be the way to go for Canucks fans. While that might work for families, the one demographic still welcome downtown during the upcoming playoff run, I cant imagine a posse of 20-something boys fist pumping in excitement and yelling, Whoo-hoo, lets go check out the Canucks mad skills at the Champlain Heights Community Centre!
But if done properly many families and individuals will jump at the chance to gather at their local community centre to cheer on the Canucks.
The park board and city are reviewing proposals from several event planning companies with an idea to partner on organized celebrations with the hopes of giving residents options for watching the playoffs in their own community. Vision Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»park board chair Constance Barnes told me its still early days, but its hoped these smaller gatherings will help fill the void left with the cancellation of any large, public viewing events downtown. She also promised more information in the near future, so Im holding her to that. The 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs start in just two weeks, so Im guessing those plans will be made public soon.
Looking at the bigger picture, a city and region-wide plan, which includes the VPD, city officials and TransLink, is in the final stages. City manager Penny Ballem was to present a report to council about plans for the 2012-playoff run, Tuesday after the Couriers press deadline.
Lets hope their plan is moron-proof.
Twitter: @sthomas10
