Planning for traffic congestion, but CFL game will be a boost to Wolfville: mayor

The Town of Wolfville has made some changes over the past six years to infrastructure that has helped accommodate a growing population that increased by 1,000 between 2016 and 2021.

But it’s going to take a bit more work to deal with more than 10,000 extra people in town July 16 for the CFL football game between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Toronto Argonauts.

Town CAO Erin Beaudin said plans are ongoing, but one of the keys is putting people — and not vehicles — in the downtown.

The CFL has 30 shuttle buses running at two different times from Halifax to Wolfville, and other shuttle buses will pick people up at gathering points in the Valley where they can leave their cars.

Those will be west of Wolfville, Beaudin says. So, people should not be getting off at the Grand Pre exit. Doing so puts traffic into a choke point east of the community that could result in substantial traffic slowdowns. She said she hopes that signage will be put up to direct people past Exit 10.

“I fully expect every parking spot in town and then some will be taken up by early morning,” she said. “That’s probably the biggest concern — getting people safely to the event and then back again with the traffic.”

Wolfville’s Main Street is narrow, and with the Cornwallis River emptying into the Minas Basin to the south side of the town, there are limited routes to take people into the downtown. That’s why getting as many people as possible on the shuttles is important, Beaudin said.

Outside of traffic, safety considerations are the biggest consideration.

“With an event like this there will be alcohol use, probably amongst other things, so we certainly want to prepare for that,” Beaudin said. “It’s the safety of people coming to attend the event along with the people who

live in town or will be in town at that time.”

She said that ties into the parking and traffic issues.

people “There are going to be a lot of in town that we need to prepare for,” she said.

RCMP, a security firm hired by the CFL, and Acadia security will all be working that day, she said.

Fire, police and ambulance crews will be stationed in and around town to makes sure coverage is possible when traffic is slowed or backed up.

It’s believed to be the biggest event ever to take place in the town in terms of people arriving on one day for one event.

Most of the pre-game activities and events for fans will be happening in Halifax on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but there is a tailgate party with food trucks, live entertainment and activities in Wolfville starting at 11 a.m. on game day. Beaudin said the hope is that the event, which is open to ticket holders only, will stagger the arrival of people throughout the morning until the 3 p.m. kickoff. While that event will be contained

Beaudin to the Acadia University campus, said the hope is that local businesses will also benefit from the surge of people in the town.

“I can’t imagine it will just be contained. I’m sure people will come downtown to restaurants or to shop,” she said.

There will also be music and entertainment after the game to stagger people leaving the town as well.

With the influx of people, Mayor Wendy Donovan said she hopes there will be an immediate economic boost for businesses in the town, but also some long-term exposure.

“Any time we have a chance to promote Wolfville and Nova Scotia, that has to be good economically,” she said. “It can’t be anything but good for people to see what’s here.”

Saskatchewan fans are particularly fervent and will go on the team’s road games wherever they are.

“For our businesses, our restaurants and the retail stores, it’s going to be a great weekend as these things always are.”