REGINA - Grey Cup week has arrived in Regina, and plans have been announced by organizers on how they will transport people and keep them safe during the week.
Among the major initiatives announced at a news conference Monday is the free shuttle service to move people to and from Mosaic Stadium during the festival and on Game Day on Sunday, Nov. 20.
Tracy Fahlman, President and CEO of the Regina Hotels Association, said the shuttle service “will provide a convenient and safe transportation option to the thousands of hotel guests that will be visiting our city this week. In addition, this is also available to all Regina residents to access.”
The Regina Hotels Association, City of Regina, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Grey Cup committee are sponsoring the shuttle service. It is touted as a great option to get to and from the festival sites and especially to get home safely.
The shuttles will go to and from the Grey Cup festival from Nov. 17 to 20. It will run from 27 hotel locations as well as Southland Mall (free park and ride option), University of Regina (free park and ride option), two stops in Regina Downtown, and four stops in the Warehouse District (free park and ride option).
The shuttles will run every 30 minutes from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. during the Festival from Thursday to Saturday Nov. 17-19. On game day Sunday, Nov. 20, when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Toronto Argonauts battle for the Cup, shuttles will every 30 minutes from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and then continuously until 6 p.m. that day.
Buses will start leaving Mosaic Stadium in the 4th Quarter with the last bus departing an hour after the game ends.
There are five colour coded routes to and from the Grey Cup Festival. For the convenience of hotel guests, information can be found in each hotel lobby, as well as in the Grey Cup Festival app and at greycupfestival.ca. As well, festival goers can track their shuttle in real time on transitlive.com.
Regina Police Service also provided an update on public safety during Grey Cup Week. Insp. Chris Jackiw said they will be working alongside REAL security and volunteer staff at the different venues during the week. They also are encouraging people to use the free transportation options and not to drink and drive.
“Our typical message is the use the transportation as it’s easier to park at some of those venues and take the buses to the games.”
People will notice an increased police presence throughout the week and on Game Day, to make sure everyone gets to the game safely and are safe in and around the venue.
For those driving in from out of town, Jackiw suggests looking up in advance the transportation points and parking at a mall or hotel, and taking advantage of the free transportation service. He also suggests to come early as there are a lot of events throughout the week as well as Game Day.
Jackiw anticipates in and around Mosaic Stadium it will be busier, but for the game itself, “I think it’ll be similar to Labour Day, just a lot colder.”
On-site parking at the stadium will be limited during the festival. It is available on a first come, first served basis at $10 a vehicle, but on game day it will be $35. People are urged to use the Lewvan Drive entrance to access the on-site parking.
People who drive to the grounds are also urged to remove all valuables from plain view, lock their vehicles and take their keys with them, and to not leave cars running unattended.
For those thinking about booking hotel rooms, Regina hotels are currently reporting they are sold out, said Fahlman.
To welcome all the guests, “we are staffing up and stocking up on beer,” said Fahlman. If anyone is still looking for a hotel room, call the hotels directly as cancellations do happen,
There is more hotel capacity to handle visitors to the Grey Cup. Fahlman said they have 1100 more hotel rooms than the last time they hosted the Grey Cup in 2013.
“We are hosting, we estimate, 2,000 more guests in our city this Grey Cup.”
Kent Paul, chair of the Grey Cup Operating Committee, said this week was “exciting” and one four and a half years in the making.
“Starting today and throughout the whole week, the entire team’s working hard with the Real District team and all of our partners and stakeholders to put on a truly amazing event,” said Paul.
Work has already begun on the footprint for the festival, with a tube-slide already set up and signage already going up. Paul also said work is going on for the different indoor parts of the festival, which are expected to be ready for the kickoff to the festival on Wednesday night.
