Baseball returning to the city after 963 days, Vancouver Canadians say

People walk past Nat Bailey Stadium during a fan batting practice session hosted by the Vancouver Canadians minor league baseball team, in Vancouver, on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

After nearly 1,000 days off due to COVID-19, baseball is coming back to Vancouver.

The Vancouver Canadians say fans can expect to be back in the stands at Nat Bailey Stadium in April for the team's home opener.

The tentative schedule released Tuesday also includes games on Mother's and Father's days, and over the Victoria Day, Canada Day and B.C. Day long weekends.

The schedule is subject to B.C.'s COVID-19 restrictions, so fans may not be able to attend if the rules for venues change again.

For now, though, the team is slated to play its first game on April 19. That game will be 963 days after the last game was played in the stadium on Aug. 30, 2019.

The full schedule includes the traditional nine post-game fireworks shows, as well as some "Family Fun Sundays" and other upcoming events.

There will be 66 home games this 132-game season, according to a news release from the team, which will start the season on the road.

"The organization is excited to welcome fans back to the ballpark after a two-season hiatus due to COVID season cancellations and extended border closures preventing the team to return to Vancouver in 2021," the team said.