It seems all but certain that when the WHL playoffs begin, you won’t be able to leave and then come back in to a Blazers game.
“Together we want to provide just the very best game day experience possible,” says city of Kamloops’ Business Operations & Events Supervisor Sean Smith. “This primarily focuses on issues that contribute to what goes on in the building during any game, food and beverage activities in the lounge, and the safety and security of the spectators. So, you know, in and out privileges are something that is becoming less common in venues around North America. Certainly most of the professional arenas don’t allow in and out privileges and we just thought it was time that they’d be good thing to introduce here in Kamloops to keep up.”
“It isn’t a city decision. It was a mutual decision between the city and the Blazers. You know, obviously we need to support each other and be on the same page and we are. We’re working together really well, really closely to just enhance the product on the ice that they’re providing and to make sure that the building and the fan safety and security is is something that we can contribute to. So that’s why we are also supportive of this decision.”
Smith says it won’t come into effect until the playoffs, so it will use the remaining regular seasons schedule as a bit of an education period. “With the Memorial Cup coming in May, it’s actually a requirement from the CHL that there is no in and out privileges. So we’re looking at this as a great opportunity to test run it, if you will. For the start of playoffs is kind of our goal. We think that this will give us some time to educate the season ticket holders and the fans in general that this is what they can expect coming up in the near future, so that there’s no no huge surprises. ”
Smith says smokers are probably going to be most impacted, but this really isn’t about targeting the smokers. “It really is about just eliminating any opportunities for external factors coming into the building, whether it’s, you know, unauthorized entry or ticket fraud or, you know, fans going out and consuming alcohol and coming back in because you know, those fans are the responsibility of our security and service staff. And if there if there are other factors that are contributing to their consumption, then that that makes it challenging for our staff to manage.”
All the details are still being worked out, but Smith says there will likely be some exceptions for those with extenuating circumstances. “If somebody’s having a real serious if you know, because I’ve heard that there could be medical issues for some people that they need to get out of the building or get some fresh air. And you know, we’ve got the great St. John Ambulance team down there that can that can help those people. And as far as somebody that might have, you know, extenuating circumstances that they need to leave for 10 or 20 minutes. We’re working through those details, and I’m sure there’ll be some information that guest services as we move closer to the
playoffs.”
During the Feb 9. Committee of Protective Services meeting, Councillor Dale Bass noted that city facilities and parks are smoke free. She asked if allowing people to go out and smoke goes against the city bylaw in every way. Smith replied, “I don’t want to speak on behalf of community services office, but I know that the approach to enforcing the no smoking bylaw is primarily through an education process. In order for people to0 be in line with that they would have to cross the street.”
Smith added that concerts have not allowed people out to smoke “for forever.”
Councillor Neustaeter asked why now? “What kind of data do we have that this is a significant enough problem in our community to warrant a move on something like this? There is no scientific data other than it is a direction that the CHL is going and so we’re trying to honour that and work with them.”
The look at ins-and-outs was tagged onto a motion that asked for a review of food services at indoor and outdoor city owned facilities.
The report will now go to council for further discussion.
As of Feb. 10 the Blazers have nine home games remaining on the current season’s schedule. The final home game is set for Friday, March 24 against the Prince George Cougars.
