In the quiet and leafy Vancouver neighbourhood of South Cambie, best known for its botanical garden, playoff fever is about to set in.

The neighbourhood is expecting thousands of Vancouver Canucks fans for a viewing party on Sunday evening at Oak Meadows Park, as the team faces the Edmonton Oilers for Game 3 of their Stanley Cup playoffs series.

The location, across the road from the VanDusen Botanical Garden and far from the cityB次元官网网址檚 downtown core, is not exactly a nightlife hot spot.

ThatB次元官网网址檚 the idea B次元官网网址� before announcing the location, Mayor Ken Sim had said he was aware of the cityB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渉istoryB次元官网网址� with the playoffs that included downtown riots in 1994 and 2011.

The goal at Oak Meadows Park is not a drunken eruption of fandom B次元官网网址� Sim said on Wednesday he want to show that Vancouver fans can celebrate in a way that is B次元官网网址渇amily-friendly, fun and safe.B次元官网网址�

READ MORE: Collaboration key in keeping Canuck viewing parties family-friendly

Not everyone is happy about the event, at least, not with its timing, that coincides with what is one of the busiest days on the South Cambie calendar B次元官网网址� MotherB次元官网网址檚 Day.

Shaughnessy Restaurant on the VanDusen grounds is one of the neighbourhoodB次元官网网址檚 few restaurants.

Owner Chris Chatten said a viewing party was a great idea, but it was B次元官网网址減oor timingB次元官网网址� to have it on MotherB次元官网网址檚 Day. The restaurant is expecting 800 people on its biggest day of the year.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 probably the worst day they could have picked to have a viewing party starting and thatB次元官网网址檚 frustrating,B次元官网网址� said Chatten, who has run the restaurant for more than 40 years.

B次元官网网址淢otherB次元官网网址檚 Day is the single busiest day of the year for the restaurant B次元官网网址� 600 or 700 people for lunch, and (then) a couple more hundred people for dinner time.B次元官网网址�

He said VanDusen is also plenty busy on MotherB次元官网网址檚 Day, attracting thousands of admirers for its spring floral displays. Its rhododendrons and magnolias are also coming into bloom.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 very busy, and it just creates a huge traffic jam,B次元官网网址� said Chatten, adding that the city didnB次元官网网址檛 think of the implications for the neighbourhood.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 unfortunate that they picked that location on MotherB次元官网网址檚 Day. Had they done a little research B次元官网网址� of course, that didnB次元官网网址檛 happen and IB次元官网网址檓 not surprised.B次元官网网址�

Others arenB次元官网网址檛 worried. Johnny Tsoukalas also is expecting a busy MotherB次元官网网址檚 Day at his Greek restaurant, JohnnyB次元官网网址檚 On Oak, but heB次元官网网址檚 excited about the game, too.

B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 going to be a little bit overworked, but everybody will be having a great time. hopefully they win,B次元官网网址� said Tsoukalas, a Canucks fan and lifelong hockey player.

The restaurant has been a fixture on Oak Street for 40 years. It was packed for WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 Game 1 of the Canucks-Oilers series. B次元官网网址淓verybody was going crazy,B次元官网网址� he said, recalling the CanucksB次元官网网址� thrilling come-from-behind 5-4 win.

He said he was expecting another fun night on Sunday with his clients and friends.

Vancouver police spokeswoman Const. Tania Visintin said the department B次元官网网址渄efinitelyB次元官网网址� supported the idea of neighbourhood viewing areas.

She said Wednesday that B次元官网网址渇amily-focused gatheringsB次元官网网址� were B次元官网网址渕ore conducive to maintaining public safety.B次元官网网址�

Robert Vestwick works in the office of the Oakridge Seventh-day Adventist Church, two blocks from the park.

HeB次元官网网址檚 not worried about disruptions from the viewing party, since Seventh-day Adventist services are on Saturday, not Sunday.

The immigrant from Chile was wearing a Canucks jersey on Friday B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址渟ort of my new Canadian experienceB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� and plans to go to the viewing party on Sunday.

After WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 game, in which the Canucks came back from 4-1 down, he has faith in the team. Vestwick watched it in a DennyB次元官网网址檚 restaurant, where he endured the mockery of some Oilers fans before the final period turnaround.

B次元官网网址淚f you believe in God, everything is possible,B次元官网网址� Vestwick said.

Nono Shen, The Canadian Press