The Carleton Ravens and uOttawa Gee-Gees had a three-hour battle on the football field, but the biggest win for the community was the decrease in post-Panda mischief reports.
The annual homecoming football match drew a sold-out crowd of 24,372 guests and a score of 20-14 for the Ravens.
Despite the enthusiasm of the fans, the event only had a single reported crime — an assault — in Sandy Hill, according to Ottawa Police data.
The police statistics fit into the past two years of peaceful festivities in and outside of Sandy Hill, aligning with Capital Current’s analysis of decreasing reports of property crimes such as mischief and theft.
While there’s always a little bit of worry and anxiety around Panda season by our community stakeholders in the area, I think there is also acknowledgment that things have improved.
Jack Coen, president of the uOttawa student union
Mischief is defined as destructive or damaging actions toward property, such as vandalism, according to the Ottawa Police crime glossary.
Ottawa Police Const. Fern John-Simon said a stronger police presence at the event might be contributing to the decrease in mischief. The presence was increased following the 2021 and 2022 Panda games which were notorious for rowdy and damaging post-game parties in Sandy Hill.
“There was property that had been destroyed, vandalism and of course our police presence, and that doesn’t make it fun for anybody,” John-Simon told Capital Current.
The infamous 2021 and 2022 games followed the cancellation of the 2020 game during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most infamous incident saw a car being flipped in 2021, John-Simon said.
2021 was the tipping point for Panda-related crime, according to Capital Current analysis.
From 2018 to 2022, there was a 100 per cent increase in mischief, Capital Current’s analysis of Ottawa Police Service reported crime data shows.
Since 2022, this statistic has flipped. Reported mischief on Panda Game day in the Sandy Hill neighbourhood has decreased by 100 per cent.
Though the numbers are low on the Ottawa Police’s data portal, past press releases indicate there were more offences that are not in the open data portal.
Stephen Irvine, an Ottawa Police Liaison tabling at Carleton University before Panda, said that not all behaviour rises to the level of criminal offence.
There is no arrest authority under the Liquor License Act or under a bylaw. These are the most prevalent offences, but not criminal, he said.
Patrick Munro, with the Action Sandy Hill Board, manages communication and event coordination – such as Panda – between the neighbourhood and the University of Ottawa.
“Thankfully the universities have stepped up quite a bit since 2021 and 2022, when there were some pretty notorious or infamous Panda Game street parties,” he said.
“I’m sure the students had a great time but the residents were left to clean up the mess.”
Munro said the decrease in reported mischief post-2022 may flow from increased communication between Sandy Hill residents and the universities.
“We’ve done door-knocking campaigns to promote the on-campus events … basically to try and mitigate any negative externalities the community might undergo,” Munro said.
Residents are also advised on who to call if there are issues and at what times student activity is expected to occur.
“Being very open and clear with the plan and sharing that with residents is the biggest undertaking we’ve done in the past few years,” he added.
“The numbers aren’t huge,” Munro said, referencing Capital Current analysis, “But the silver lining is that we came up with a bit of a stronger relationship between the community.”
Mischief and theft under $5,000 have been the top two reported offences on Panda game days, Capital Current has found. Both have zero reports from the Sandy Hill neighbourhood on Panda game day.
The drop in these offences may come from a stronger police presence and the game day being changed from Saturday to Sunday after 2022, according to John-Simon.
For Jack Coen, president of the uOttawa student union, the improvement in student behaviour is a sign of trust being rebuilt with the community.
“While there’s always a little bit of worry and anxiety around Panda season by our community stakeholders in the area, I think there is also acknowledgment that things have improved,” Coen said.
Still, some businesses in Sandy Hill worry about the kind of behaviour the event creates.
An employee of a Quickie on Elgin Street, theft is a big problem because of proximity to the uOttawa.
“Theft here is crazy. … We experience it every day, non-stop. It’s out of control,” the employee said. “On Panda weekend, we see so much traffic.” Five employees interviewed from businesses in the area refused to identify themselves, fearing retribution from their employers.
Ottawa Police crime data from Oct. 5 aligns with the pattern of decreasing mischief during Panda.
“There could have been a possibility of the celebrations either ending or being reduced to a level that potentially the people who want to participate would not really enjoy,” John-Simon said.
But as long as the event is celebrated responsibly, the Panda tradition can live on, she said.
“I think we all know what we’re getting living in Sandy Hill, so we have a bit of thicker skin,” Munro said. “But there’s still no excuse for rampant delinquent behaviours.”
