MONCTON – The first big summer concert to rock Moncton’s Magnetic Hill kicks off this weekend.
Canadian rock stars Nickelback will hit the stage Saturday, at what has become the go-to destination for big-name acts in Atlantic Canada.
But for the first time since the mega-concerts began playing the Hill in 2005 – with the likes of AC/DC, The Rolling Stones and U2 playing to tens of thousands of spectators – there will be no restrictions on where alcohol is sold.
The show is expected to draw about 35,000 people, but none of them will be restricted to drinking in a beer tent: The City of Moncton is opening the entire site to sell alcohol.
Get breaking National news
As part of a pilot project, concert-goers over the age of 19 will recieve special bracelets to purchase alcohol.
“We’ve had problms in the past with over-drinking and minors being left unattended,” Moncton General Manager Jacques Dube says. “With this set up there’ll be no fenced in garden in place.”
That’s something first-responders are happy about.
“We won’t have many fences to manoeuver around,” says Troy McQuinn of Ambulance N.B “So, when we ahve to take people off the field it will help out our response time, instead of impeding (it).”
RCMP say the cahnges shouldn’t effect residents in the area and it will be “business as usual” for officers.
“Its no different than going downtown or going to the Moncton Collisum,” Staff Sgt. Gerry Belliveau says. “The establishment just happens to be bigger.
Since this is a pilot project, the city will wait to see how well it works before announcing any changes to alcohol restrictions for the summer’s biggest draw – the Bruce Springsteen concert on Aug. 26.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.