Camping in Victoria Park may be illegal by Wednesday, if a new bylaw passes to ban tents and to keep people out of the park at night.

The park has been the site of the largest of Peterborough's homeless encampments this summer.

There have been more than 40 tents in Victoria Park — which is owned by Peterborough County — since the Warming Room homeless shelter closed on July 1.

County council will meet Wednesday morning to consider adopting a bylaw that would ban people from the park between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Under the proposed bylaw, people would also need a permit to cook food, drink alcohol, light a fire or set off fireworks in Victoria Park.

The county's draft bylaw is similar to one the city has drafted and will consider adopting in a special meeting on Monday.

The city's bylaw would apply to 108 municipally owned parks, including James Stevenson Park and Nicholls Oval (where there have been small homeless encampments this summer).

The county's bylaw would apply only to Victoria Park and to the Heritage Jail Park; those are the only two parks owned Peterborough County.

The county's draft bylaw was published online on Friday and the city's was posted Thursday.

Meanwhile there has also been a tent encampment on the property at St. John's Anglican Church, near Victoria Park. There have been up to 18 tents there since July 1.

Notices were posted around the property this week to inform campers that those who were present on Thursday may remain until further notice from the rector — provided they follow the church's code of conduct.

"No new or returning tents may be erected on the church property," the notice states.

Although both the city and county bylaws could be adopted next week, Mayor Diane Therrien and County Warden J. Murray Jones said earlier this week that campers wouldn't be evicted immediately.

Therrien said there would likely be a grace period to allow campers to find someplace to go — although it was unclear exactly how many days that grace period might be.

Meanwhile Jones was unequivocal that the campers must go.

He mentioned that they had a banner in Victoria Park in July calling for respect from the community — but that now the campers must respect those who own the park.

"Respect works both ways," Jones said.

Both the city and the county draft bylaws propose to also restrict the following activities in parks:

• Climbing or sitting on monuments or fountains;

• Swimming;

• Operating a drone or model airplane.

City council will meet on Monday at city hall on George Street at 5:30 p.m. and county council will meet at the county courthouse on Aug. 14 at 9:30 a.m.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

CORRECTION: This article has been updated to reflect that Mike Fischinit will not be appearing before county council with a petition calling for the removal of the so-called tent city in Victoria Park. Incorrect information was provided to The Examiner.

joelle.kovach

@peterboroughdaily.com