Doubled-vaxxed fans pack the stands at Halifax soccer match
The Halifax Wanderers soccer game Wednesday night was the franchise's first with full capacity -- and with COVID-19 precautions in place.
Staff and fans of the Halifax Wanderers spent the day getting ready for the quarter-final championship match up against Montreal.
"Very, very excited," says fan James Covey, "this is the first time that we've ever played a major league soccer side, so it's a big new step for the club."
But that's not the only reason the game is significant.
Wednesday night marks the first time the franchise has been given the green light from Public Health to operate a full capacity in the past 18 months.
That means more than 6,000 fans in the stands, with all required to show proof vaccination for entry.
Covey says he hasn't heard anyone complain about the requirement.
"Everything I've heard from my fellow supporters have been (that they) love to have that extra security when they show up here," he says.
"And really, we implemented a double vaccination policy a few games ago," says franchise president Derek Martin.
That was with the venue at half capacity, and Martin says those trials went smoothly.
"Public health agreed that we were a safe place we've hosted well over 20,000 fans this year without any incident," Martin adds.
For anyone nervous about the idea of having that many people here, epidemiologist Kevin Wilson says while nothing is without risk in a pandemic, the risk here, remains low.
"Everyone in attendance is ostensibly going to be not just vaccinated, but fully vaccinated," says Wilson, "and it's outdoors, which drastically in itself reduces the risk of transmission."
The HFX Wanderers had about 50 workers manning the gates to keep lines flowing.
"So there's really three steps to coming in, the first step will be a person who will do a vaccine check," says the organization's vice-president of operations, Matt Fagen, "you will show your proof of vaccination there."
That happened at all 14 entry gates, with those gates opening 90 minutes before match time, to get people in early.
Then, once tickets were taken and bags security checked as usual, it's game on.
"Everyone knows the real experience here is all about a packed wanderers ground," says Covey.
It's an experience bound to feel very much like the past -- that many hope marks a better future, as the province aims for phase five of reopening, Oct. 4.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.