Fans entering the Rogers Centre for the Toronto Blue Jays' sold-out home opener on Monday will be greeted by airport-style metal detectors, part of a sweeping change to all facilities hosting major league baseball games.
The downtown stadium will have 55 new metal detectors. The vice president of stadium operations and security Mario Coutinho says the change is a reflection of changing security needs and recent events.
"From a cultural perspective in North America, I think what we have to do is look back to the Boston bombing as a reason why any sports facility wants to review the best practice," Coutinho told CTV Toronto on Friday.
The new security devices are similar to the ones found in airports, but officials say they will be calibrated to be less sensitive so that spectators entering a stadium will only to have remove large or heavy metal items. That means loose change, belts and watches will not triggers alarms.
Officials say fans on Monday should expect some delays at the entrance and should arrive at least 20 to 30 minutes earlier. The gates on Monday open at 5 p.m. and the opening pitch is scheduled for 7:07 p.m.
"We're asking people to give themselves a little more time," Coutinho said. "Like anything new, it takes a period of adjustment, not only for staff but the public itself."
With a report from CTV Toronto's Janice Golding
