Vancouver Canucks: Fans and City Will Be Under the Microscope in Playoffs

It's funny. Two Stanley Cup riots have really left a black mark on the Vancouver Canucks, their city and their fans.

Vancouver is regularly criticized for its high real estate prices and the coffee-and-yoga vibe of Yaletown or Kitsilano. Locals absorb those barbs without batting an eye—it's a small price to pay to enjoy one of the most livable cities in the world.

But this riot thing. How does it fit into the cultural psyche? That's a tougher question—one that city authorities are hoping they've answered well enough to prevent a repeat occurrence, no matter when or how the Canucks' season ends.

One of the biggest recommendations was to avoid the huge downtown street parties that were a highlight of last year's playoff run. Those parties originated on Granville Mall, but were moved over to Georgia St. at the behest of the CBC, who produce "Hockey Night in Canada."

The big-screen at Georgia and Hamilton was ground zero when things got out of hand after Game 7. The crowd of young people, many of whom were inebriated, were easy to incite after the first car was set on fire.

Part of the plan for this year is to provide smaller, more localized destinations. While the downtown bars and restaurants will still be encouraged to show the games, public viewing areas will be set up at community centres all around the city.

Specific party plans remain a bit vague, but the city and the Canucks have done a good job of tapping into the outrage expressed by the general public after the riot. Fueled by social media, a spontaneous movement quickly erupted to clean up the damage downtown and to restore the pride that most Vancouverites feel for their city. Social media was also key to the Vancouver Police Department's public identification of rioters caught in photos and videos. A lot of 'good kids' had a great deal to answer for when they suddenly learned they'd be held accountable for their actions.

The Canucks have also partnered to create a campaign with past and present players, emphasizing the need to take pride in the community and to celebrate responsibly throughout the playoff run. "Please don't riot" is a tricky message to put into a commercial, but the video is done well, and the out-take version is even good for a laugh. As they announce their playoff initiatives, the team is also taking great care to put the 'celebrate responsibly' message front and centre at every opportunity.

One thing that worked against event organizers in 2011 was that fact that it had been 17 years since the riot of '94. Meanwhile, just one year previously, they had successfully executed a 2010 Winter Olympic strategy that had far more potential for trouble. The Olympics had a bigger budget for security, but when Canada won gold in hockey on the final day, a joyous street party raged into the next morning on Granville St.

There were still fights and incidents of public intoxication, but no storefronts were destroyed and nothing was burned. The biggest mistake the event organizers made in 2011 was to assume that the energy would be the same after Game 7.

Hopefully the strategy of diffusing the powder-keg, combined with the increased message of accountability and responsibility, will be enough to make most of the 'good kids' think twice before they throw a brick through a window or try to steal a handbag. And hopefully the city managers and Vancouver Police Department have also learned a lesson and will deploy their resources more effectively as the Vancouver Canucks' 2012 playoff run rolls on.