Universities in Waterloo and Guelph are urging college students to behave responsibly throughout homecoming celebrations.
Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe launched an open letter to the group forward of Wilfrid Laurier College’s homecoming celebrations.
“Please rejoice responsibly,” she mentioned within the letter. “Massive avenue gatherings will be harmful and put everybody in danger. Take into account the direct danger to your self, together with well being dangers from binge consuming, private security in crowds and the potential for violence or assault.”
Final yr, Waterloo regional police made 11 arrests, laid 183 costs and had 298 requires service in a 22-hour window throughout homecoming weekend.
A portion of Ezra Avenue was blocked off with fencing, as a precaution. That avenue is the place college students have traditionally gathered for unsanctioned events.
A bit of Ezra Avenue is blocked off on Sept. 23, 2023. (Hannah Schmidt/CTV Information)
“Take into account the danger to our group: if paramedic companies and legislation enforcement officers are busy helping injured college students or addressing massive crowd issues, they aren’t obtainable to answer different emergency calls,” mentioned McCabe. “Our native emergency rooms and hospitals are already at capability. Please don’t add to their stress by risking your security or the security of others.”
This reminder comes after metropolis councillors voted to tighten guidelines round unsanctioned avenue events final week.
Town’s public nuisance bylaw now lists homecoming weekend and St. Patrick’s Day when nuisance gatherings would possibly happen.
Jodie Johnston lives close to the college district and he or she says wild events through the years prompted her to construct a fence of her personal round her property.
“We have put up a fence within the entrance yard as a result of that is the place they urinated on our property so we put up short-term fencing this yr,” Johnston mentioned.
GUELPH HOMECOMING PRECAUTIONS
Guelph police are additionally planning to deploy additional sources because the homecoming soccer recreation on the College of Guelph has historically led to massive crowds gathering all through town.
Police requested individuals to rejoice safely and respectfully.
“We do have officers working simply to make sure everybody that is celebrating can accomplish that safely,” mentioned Guelph police spokesperson Scott Tracey.
In a video posted to social media, College of Guelph’s interim vice-provost of scholar affairs Irene Thompson, mentioned the college is happy to welcome college students again to campus, however reminds them that they’re half of a bigger group.
“Be conscious that your actions affect these round you,” Thompson mentioned. “This weekend, make your security and people round you a precedence.”
