Rock and roll wasn’t the only thing thundering from Magnetic Hill on the weekend.
Even before Nickelback took the stage, Mother Nature was making some music of her own in the form of a pounding storm.
The heavy rain forced the city to put an emergency plan into action for the safety of the estimated 20,000 concertgoers. Deputy Fire Chief Don McCabe says it was about being prepared.
“We were there with a water source, which is a tanker, one of the front line engines were there and we brought a small rescue truck, which is fully equipped with rescue tools like the Jaws of Life, spreaders and cutters,” says McCabe.
He says it was a partnership of multiple agencies and the promotions team that helped them deal with the rain and mud and thousands of energized fans, such as Karen Horsman.
“Just people dancing, whooping and hollering, taking pictures, trying to message everybody, this song is on, you should hear this, holding up their cell phones, the energy was high,” says Horsman.
A pilot project which allowed alcohol throughout the site, instead of being restricted to a licensed area, is being reviewed for future use, but at first glance, it was a hit with fans.
Overall, the city is calling the concert a huge success and in the eyes of Nickelback fan Jamie Vautour, the show was a definite hit.
“It was so much fun, even with the rain, downpour and everything, it was pretty hardcore,” says Vautour.
CTV news shared Vautour’s dilemma last week, when he wasn’t sure he could attend the concert, due to the public transit lockout.
An anonymous donor came forward and paid for wheelchair accessible transportation so Vautor, a wheelchair user, could get to the concert. In addition, the donor sent spending money so Vautour could also buy some souvenirs.
“It was pretty nice of him,” says Vautour. “I got myself a T-shirt, gloves and drumsticks. Bought myself some food and everything.”
With files from CTV Atlantic's David Bell
