The panel at the front of the gymnasium read like an event organizing all-star roster.
Scott Pollard, former technical director of Ottawa’s Bluesfest. James Campbell, former transportation director for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Barry Wilding, former director of public safety for the City of Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics.
All have been hired by the Squamish Valley Music Festival to make sure that this year’s three-day event runs smoothly.
“Obviously there have been some significant changes this year,”festival executive producer Paul Runnals told a small crowd at the event’s open house at Howe Sound Secondary School on Monday (April 7).
The biggest difference is the sheer number, with the festival jumping in size from 19,000 to 35,000 ticket holders. The number of people camping in Squamish between Aug. 8 to 10 will be bumped from 7,000 to 14,000.
To avoid a repeat of last year’s traffic jam along Highway 99, campers will be asked to register in south Britannia Beach at the 20-acre property known as the Makin Lands. From there, they’ll be directed to one of 9,400 parking spots and shuttled into one of three campsites. Festival organizers have also upped the processing capacity from 200 vehicles per hour to more than 600, Runnals said.
All the campsites will be enclosed by eight-foot-tall screened fencing and have 24-hour security and medical staff. This year there will be 500 additional security guards including roving units that will patrol neighbourhoods, Runnals said.
Festival organizers have already committed $1.3 million to Squamish, before the crowd arrives, he added.
Brackendale resident Glenne Campbell attended the open house to learn how the event was being run. Waste management and recycling topped her list of concerns.
“I want to make sure our town is left in a better condition than before the [festival-goers] arrived,” she said.
This year the festival will have a paid, not volunteer crew to keep the grounds clean. Last year, some of the volunteers let the festival down, Squamish resident Chris Manuel said, noting organizers responded swiftly and brought a busload of hired help in to clean up the site. Manuel worked with the event’s stage crew. He attended the open house to get insight into this year’s plans.
“This is a very professional company that is putting this on,” he said.
