City calls for safe celebrations as Calgary Flames get set for playoff action
No planned road closures on 17th Avenue S.W. for 1st round of the NHL playoffs
The Calgary Flames are set to hit the ice at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday night to open a best-of-seven, first-round series against the Dallas Stars, and city officials are asking those who celebrate to do so responsibly.
"We've been here, and we know we have great fans in Calgary," said Insp. Clare Smart of the Calgary police.
"The Calgary Police Service and our partners at the city have been working together for a safe celebration of the 2022 NHL playoffs, while respecting the neighbourhoods and communities."
Parking bans will be in effect for every home game from 7 p.m. onward along 17th Avenue S.W., and those who park in the area are asked to move their vehicles before the bans go into effect.
Periodic road closures may also occur at the direction of the CPS incident commander. Residents are asked to follow CPS on Twitter for updates on closures.
Alcohol is permitted only in licensed establishments, and public consumption of cannabis is not allowed under Calgary bylaws.
Smart said there would be "zero tolerance" for those who drive down 17th Avenue honking their horns in celebration.
"We have our Calgary traffic unit that will be looking into those incidents and laying tickets where they can," she said.
On home game nights, the city will add extra transit service to help support demand.
The city said these measures are in place for the first round of the playoffs and may be adjusted for future rounds, if required.
"We're encouraging people to celebrate the Calgary Flames' success both at home, within their communities, and on 17th Avenue," said Ben Brackett, the city's team lead of festival and events planning.
"We know that Calgarians have a long history — look at the Calgary Stampede — of celebrating in a safe and respectful manner, and we expect that to continue from them."
Game 2 will take place in Calgary on Thursday before the series moves to the American Airlines Centre in Dallas for Game 3 on Saturday and Game 4 on May 9.